PORT-LOUIS, Mauritius, July 9, 2013 – The Republic of Mauritius has received EUR 1,288,000 million (approximately MUR 51.5 million) representing the first tranche disbursedunder the COMESA-led Regional Integration Support Mechanism (RISM) programme, which is funded by the European Union.
The Regional Integration Support Mechanism (RISM) is a programme funded by the European Union under the 9th European Development Fund. The specific objective of the RISM programme is to support Member Countries to participate more fully in the COMESA, EAC and Tripartite Free Trade Areas and COMESA and EAC customs unions with minimum disruptions to public expenditure commitments, while enabling them to implement economic reform programmes in the context of regional integration.
In 2012, Mauritius was among the nine COMESA member countries found eligible to funding under the RISM programme, after a call for submissions by the COMESA.
The Ambassador, Alessandro Mariani, Head of the European Union delegation to
Mauritius expressed his satisfaction with this result: ‘I am pleased that besides our long standing support at bilateral level, the Government of the Republic of Mauritius is receiving funds directly today from the regional programmes. I am confident that there will be other such possibilities for Mauritius, which has always shown a very strong commitment for regional integration’.
Under the RISM programme, the disbursement to the nine Member States of the COMESA for a total of EUR 9.75 million for 2012 was made possible following the approval of their Regional Integration Implementation Programme and related regional integration targets over the time horizon 2012 to 2014. Countries are preparing their submissions for a second tranche.
For Mauritius, the funds will be disbursed directly into the budget of the Government as untargeted financial assistance. This provides the Government with the maximum flexibility in the use of these financial resources, based on the country’s priorities.
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