Mauritius celebrates its longstanding fifty-year adhesion to the United Nations (UN) as the country joined the Comity of Nations on 24 April 1968 as the 125th member.
The UN has been a privileged partner to help chart a new socio-economic paradigm for the country, a Small Island Developing State emerging from colonialism. The fifty years of engagement translated into a true partnership that has enabled the country to reach the common goal of improving the quality of life of the population.
Since the 1970s, the UN has provided assistance to Mauritius in its socio-economic development plan, through initiatives such as World Food Programme and various health projects. Recent collaborations include assistance offered to the country in the joint management of the Continental Shelf between Mauritius and Seychelles and the signing of an agreement between the United Nations Population Fund and the Mauritius Institute of Health.
Along with the international community, Mauritius subscribed to the Millennium Declaration in 2000 and committed itself to fulfil the millennium development goals, such as reduce extreme poverty, empower women and protect the environment, amongst others.
In addition, in 2015, the country subscribed to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Sustainable Development Goals articulated in the Agenda are reflected in the Government’s Vision 2030, which ensures national commitment to achieve these shared goals.
Furthermore multilateralism, being the guiding principle of the longstanding partnership between Mauritius and the UN, was further reinforced when the General Assembly on 22 June 2017, supported the country in its quest for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice regarding the illegal dismemberment of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965.