Addressing the participants, the Acting Prime Minister recalled that the Government has initiated various measures to reposition the textile industry. In fact, after having registered a negative growth rate in 2005, the textile sector has been able to bounce back to a peak of 8.5% in 2007. Presently, the sector contributes 6.5% to the Gross Domestic Product, accounts for almost 11% of total employment and has a share of 52% of domestic exports. 

Dr. R. Beebeejaun added that governments and stakeholders need to work together so as to address the challenges of the textile industry especially at a time when the world is facing enormous difficulties.

For his part, the Minister of Industry, Science and Research, Mr. Dharam Gokhool, reiterated that Mauritius is committed to take a more active role in promoting a clean textile sector as part of the national strategy for a greener economy.

“Otherwise there will be irreparable loss to the creditworthiness of our industries which have been developed over years”, he cautioned.

Initiatives for a clean textile industry include the Industrial Waste Audit Regulations and the Effluent Discharge Permit Regulations and Standards for Effluent Discharge. The Industrial Waste Audit Regulations, scheduled to come into force as from 1st December 2008, will provide accurate information from industries about the origins and sources of environmental releases which is a pre-requisite for effective reduction of industrial emission and wastes. The Effluent Discharge Permit Regulations and Standards for Effluent Discharge which are also being finalized, will regulate discharge of waste waters into the sewer, including effluents from textile industries.

Mauritius has been selected by the United Nations Environmental Programme as one of the pilot countries to develop a national Programme on Sustainable Production and Consumption. This programme will assist small and medium enterprises to carry out energy audits and a study on the economic, environmental and social benefits of extended producer responsibility in certain key products.

On this score, Mauritius is implementing the European Union-Mauritius Country Strategy for the period 2008-2013. This includes a sector programme to reduce the negative environmental impacts of the industry and the development of an environmentally sound industrial management system.