Beau Bassin-Rose Hill Municipality leads the way in disaster resilience for Mauritius
In November 2023, the township of Beau Bassin-Rose Hill took a step forward in enhancing its resilience. The municipality launched its Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Strategy and Action Plan 2023-2030, illustrating the commitment of the authorities to reduce disaster risks and making it the first Mauritian town to reach the last stage of UNDRR’s Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2023) initiative.
Beau Bassin-Rose Hill sits in the heart of Mauritius. Located in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius is a small island developing State. The nation frequently encounters hazards such as tropical cyclones, heavy rainfall that leads to floods, and rising sea levels due to climate change. This emphasizes the need for disaster risk reduction strategies in communities across the entire island.
The municipality joined MCR2030 in 2022 and has already reached Stage C, the final stage of the initiative’s resilience roadmap, with the development and endorsement of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Strategy and Action Plan 2023-2030. Stage C makes the shift from planning to implementation of the strategy and action plan.
Beau Bassin-Rose Hill is also undergoing continuous urbanization, which necessitates the need for resilient infrastructure that is risk informed. These considerations are included in the local DRR strategy.
Speaking at the launch, Honourable Mohammad Anwar Husnoo, the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Local Government and Disaster Risk Management, urged other local authorities to follow in the footsteps of Beau Bassin-Rose Hill to build the resilience of Mauritius against current and future risks.
“It is important to ensure that all local authorities are equipped with comprehensive risk reduction and management strategies and action plans that are adapted to their unique risk profiles.”- Honourable Mohammad Anwar Husnoo, the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Local Government and Disaster Risk Management
To ensure that the local disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) committees are equipped to execute their functions, which include the development and implementation of local DRR strategies, the Government earmarked 18 million Mauritian Rupees ($400,000) for the 2023-2024 financial year for DRRM programmes to local authorities.
Ms. Lisa Singh, the United Nations Resident Coordinator, congratulated Beau Bassin-Rose Hill. “We stand ready to continue working with the government to strengthen early warning systems to safeguard lives and livelihoods in the face of disasters.” She applauded the municipality for leading the way as the first in Mauritius to participate in the MCR2030 initiative and called on them to support other local governments to make progress as well.
The Mayor of the Township of Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Mrs Rajeneedavee Caroopen, shared with the meeting that “the township engaged in the MCR2030 to enable us to get technical assistance in the development of the Local DRM strategy and action plan. The municipality aims to address in a multi-agency context the various economic, institutional, social, and environmental DRM challenges faced by the council.”
The MCR2030 initiative, is a unique global programme that aims to empower cities and towns worldwide to become more resilient against disasters. MCR2030 provides a framework for cities to understand and reduce their disaster risks through comprehensive assessments, planning, and implementation. By advancing through the stages of MCR2030 municipalities, such as Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, demonstrate their commitment to enhancing local capacities in disaster risk reduction. Through the MCR2030, Beau Bassin-Rose Hill is connected to a network of cities and municipalities around the world, to create safer, more resilient urban spaces, fostering a community of learning and mutual support that is crucial for addressing the complex challenges posed by climate change and rapid and unplanned urbanization.