Mauritius steps up efforts to secure long-term water resources in northern region

A data validation workshop to support the project ‘Ensuring a Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Water Supply in the Northern Part of Mauritius’ was held this morning at the Caudan Arts Centre in Port Louis. The initiative focusses on assessing the groundwater potential of the Northern Aquifer, developing a robust groundwater model, and establishing a Decision Support System to guide water resources management and allocation in the region.

Implemented by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in collaboration with the University of Avignon, the Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities, and the Water Resources Commission, the project seeks to reduce climate-related vulnerabilities, safeguard livelihoods, and ensure reliable water access for domestic, agricultural and industrial uses.

The Head of the Natural Sciences Sector at UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa, Dr Christian Berretta; the Project Manager at UNESCO, Ms Priya Devi Rambojun Geerun; and key stakeholders from Government, academia and the private sector were present.

In his address, Dr Berretta drew attention to the growing pressures facing the northern region, a key hub for agriculture, tourism and residential development. He noted that climate variability is increasingly affecting the area, with consequences extending beyond water availability to impact food production, public health and overall socio-economic stability.

He pointed out that strengthening water resilience is therefore essential to sustain communities and support balanced development. He thus outlined the importance of reliable data and scientific tools in enabling transparent decision-making and fair resource distribution among users. Enhancing institutional capacity will be crucial in fostering long-term sustainability and reinforcing social cohesion to face these challenges, he added.

For her part, Ms Rambojun Geerun expressed appreciation for the collective effort of national and international partners involved in the initiative, noting that the project reflects a strong spirit of cooperation across institutions. She emphasised that such collaboration is essential for addressing shared environmental challenges and for advancing solutions that serve both present and future needs.

She also underlined the importance of strengthening knowledge-sharing and coordination among stakeholders, highlighting that the project provides an opportunity to build common understanding on water-related issues in the northern region. She further stressed that sustained engagement and partnership will be key to ensuring that the outcomes of the initiative translate into practical benefits for communities and support more resilient water management in the long term.

05 May 2026

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Topics: Energy, Others