French President Macron Strengthens Ties with Mauritius in Historic Visit

Historic Presidential Visit to Mauritius

French President Emmanuel Macron undertook a significant two-day state visit to Mauritius from November 20 to 21, 2025, marking the first time a French President has visited the island nation in 32 years. The visit, part of a broader five-day African tour, aimed to reinforce the deep historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between France and Mauritius. President Macron held extensive discussions with Mauritian Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam and also met with President Dharambeer Gakhool. The leaders addressed a range of bilateral and regional issues during a press conference held at the Sir Harilal Vaghjee Memorial Hall in Port Louis.

Key Areas of Bilateral Cooperation

The discussions between President Macron and Prime Minister Ramgoolam resulted in several agreements and reaffirmed cooperation across various sectors. Both leaders emphasized the importance of strengthening economic partnerships, with France being a major economic actor and the leading bilateral partner for official development assistance to Mauritius.

• Economic and Development Ties: Agreements were forged in areas such as the blue economy, energy transition, renewable energy, and sustainable water management. French energy company EDF is set to assess vulnerabilities in Mauritius's electricity grid, and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) will provide loans and grants for water infrastructure.
• Food Security: A crucial agreement on sugar and wheat was reached, vital for Mauritius's food security. This included the renewal of a partnership between French sugar producer Cristal Union and its commercial arm Cristalco with the Mauritius Sugar Syndicate, and a memorandum of understanding for the supply of French wheat to Les Moulins de la Concorde.
• Education and Culture: The leaders signed a joint declaration on strengthening bilingual Francophone education and supporting Mauritius's language policy, highlighting the central role of the French language in Mauritian society.

Maritime Security and Regional Stability

A significant focus of the visit was enhancing maritime security cooperation in the Indian Ocean. Discussions covered combating narcotics trafficking, illegal fishing, and irregular migration. President Macron announced plans to establish a regional academy of the Indian Ocean at La Réunion dedicated to training in maritime security and sustainable resource management. Mauritius was also lauded for being among the first nations to sign the Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty, a key step in ocean conservation efforts.

Other Highlights of the Visit

During his stay, President Macron participated in several other engagements. He inaugurated the new French Embassy building in Moka Telfair, Port Louis. President Gakhool conferred upon him the Most Distinguished Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean medal, the highest distinction of the Republic of Mauritius. Macron also visited the Caudan Arts Center in Port Louis, where he interacted with participants of the regional 'AI4GOOD' video competition, emphasizing the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in creative projects. Regional issues, including the long-standing dispute over Tromelin Island and the political situation in Madagascar, were also part of the bilateral discussions.