The board of directors of the African Development Bank have approved a $500 000 emergency assistance grant to support international recovery efforts after the significant oil spill earlier this year off the coast of Mauritius.
The funding, to be sourced from the Special Relief Fund, will complement ongoing activities by the government of Mauritius, development partners, and other actors to undertake salvaging and cleaning operations and conduct damage and loss assessments, along with other socio-economic evaluations. The United Nations has assumed a lead role in coordinating the response.
“The $500 000 grant is an important contribution to the international recovery effort towards restoring the pristine marine ecology, so important for livelihoods in the blue economy and tourism sectors, which are now threatened by the unfortunate oil spill,” said Martin Fregene, Bank director for agriculture & agro-industry.
More than 1 000 tons of oil have leaked into the Indian Ocean since the Wakashio ran aground off the Mauritius coast on 25 July.