UN General Assembly
2020

This oil spill is the worst environmental disaster that Mauritius has ever faced. We are still assessing the damage to the mangroves and the coastal areas. We wish to thank all the countries and the UN system which rushed to assist Mauritius during these difficult times. I have a special word of thanks and gratitude for the people of Mauritius whose display of solidarity and spontaneous support helped protect our Ramsar sites and other environmentally sensitive areas. A major campaign of cleanup and general assessment was undertaken but we know for a fact that mangroves and other areas will take time to return to their original state. This disaster, apart from the damage that it has caused to nature, has also adversely affected the livelihood of the fishermen and other people involved in coastal and marine activities.