New Delhi, March 6 — Mauritius Minister of Foreign Affairs Dhananjay Ramful warned that the escalating violence in the Middle East has evolved into a broader regional conflict with significant global repercussions.
Ramful said the spillover is already creating economic shocks and straining essential resources, hitting poorer and more vulnerable countries hardest. He pointed to rising fuel costs and threats to food security as immediate consequences that many nations will struggle to manage.
Mauritius, whose economy depends heavily on tourism, is feeling the effects through transport disruptions and interrupted flight services. Concerns for citizens and foreign nationals in the Middle East, some of whom are stranded, are also weighing on the sector. The Mauritian government has formally called on the parties involved to stop hostilities and pursue diplomatic solutions.
Speaking about the Indian Ocean’s strategic role, Ramful commended India’s contribution to regional stability and noted that, as chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), New Delhi is expected to spearhead efforts to counter unconventional maritime threats. He urged concrete regional projects to tackle piracy, drug trafficking and illegal fishing, together with enhanced cooperation on climate change resilience and disaster response.
Highlighting the potential of the blue economy, Ramful said Mauritius could grow its fisheries sector with technological investment and coordination. He underscored the Indian Ocean’s economic importance by noting the vast volume of global trade that transits the region: roughly half of container shipments, about a third of cargo vessels and a large share of sea-borne trade pass through these waters.
On the Chagos Islands issue, Ramful observed that while the Maldives was among a small number of countries voting against a UN resolution, it has not pursued a sovereignty case at the International Court of Justice or filed a UN claim over the Chagos. He cited a tribunal decision that found Mauritius to be the only state entitled to request maritime delimitation between the Chagos and the Maldives, based on the ICJ’s resolution and judgment.
This report is based on a syndicated feed and is published as received; the Tribune has not independently verified its contents.
