INTERVIEW OF AMEENAH GURIB FAKIM PRESIDENT OF MAURITIUS AT WOMEN FORUM

USPA NEWS - I sat and had the chance to interview the President of Mauritius, Dr Amena Fakim Gurib, and later the honour of being guest to visit the Chateau "State of House". It is a monument both historic and unique because it was shimmered during the yoga session, and surrounded by a park one of a kind.

A State of House has the image of a country Mauritius, known for; abundance of botanical heritage and wildlife. This makes d; particularly impressive because the Ameenah Gurib Fakim President had been called by his predecessor to maintain and imagine the best ways to preserve this heritage has both historical and botany, as Doctor in biology and an expert in biodiversity. DR AMEENAH GURIB FAKIM IS A RENOWNED SCIENTIST AND LISTED BY FORBES IN THE MOST POWERFUL WOMEN IN THE WORLD---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ameenah Gurib-Fakim has been, prior to joining the State House, the Managing Director of the Centre International de Développement Pharmaceutique (CIDP) Research and Innovation as well as Professor of Organic Chemistry with an endowed chair at the University of Mauritius. Since 2001, she has served successively as Dean of the Faculty of Science and Pro Vice Chancellor (2004-2010). She has also worked at the Mauritius Research Council as Manager for Research (1995-1997). She has participated in several consultation meetings on environmental issues organized by international organisations such as the World Bank, SIDA, CIDA, EU, UN amongst others. Between 2011-2013, she was elected and served as Chairperson of the International Council for Scientific Union ““ Regional Office for Africa and is a Member of the Editorial Boards of major journals, has served on Technical Committees in various capacities, including the Chair of several National Committees in Mauritius.

I had the occasion to meet again, the President of Mauritius, Dr Amena Fakim Gurib during the Women´s Forum Mauritius that takes up the innovation challenge for Island States and Africa during a high-level two-day meeting for scientists, policymakers, and business leaders. With the support and collaboration of Mrs. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of the Republic of Mauritius, and a renowned biodiversity expert, the Forum showcased Mauritius´s remarkably rich natural flora and fauna, while underlining why it is a global biodiversity hotspot today--------------------------------------------------------------- The “State of House“ of Mauritius, called also the “Reduit“ or “Chateau“ has the image of a country Mauritius, known for instance, for abundance of botanical heritage and wildlife. This makes d; particularly impressive because the Ameenah Gurib Fakim President had been called by his predecessor to maintain and imagine the best ways to preserve this heritage has both historical and botany, as Doctor in biology and an expert in biodiversity.---------------------------------------------------------------- During the Women´s Forum held last June in Mauritius, chaired by the President Dr Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, diverse international speakers and experiences, participants have debated on climate and health solutions; climate, agriculture, and biodiversity best practices; sustainable energy for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and also on how to advance innovation in agriculture, health and land use; improving the participation of women and youth in scientific and technological training; and processes for frugal green innovations with value-added for SIDS economies. This was the purpose of my interview of Dr Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, the President of Republic of Mauritius.

DR AMEENAH GURIB FAKIM IS A RENOWNED SCIENTIST AND RECEIVED MANY PRIZES AND AWARDS FOR HER SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS Doctor Ameenah Gurib-Fakim has been, prior to joining the State House, the Managing Director of the Centre International de Développement Pharmaceutique (CIDP) Research and Innovation as well as Professor of Organic Chemistry with an endowed chair at the University of Mauritius. Since 2001, she has served successively as Dean of the Faculty of Science and Pro Vice Chancellor (2004-2010). She has also worked at the Mauritius Research Council as Manager for Research (1995-1997). She has participated in several consultation meetings on environmental issues organized by international organisations such as the World Bank, SIDA, CIDA, EU, UN amongst others. Between 2011-2013, she was elected and served as Chairperson of the International Council for Scientific Union ““ Regional Office for Africa and is a Member of the Editorial Boards of major journals, has served on Technical Committees in various capacities, including the Chair of several National Committees in Mauritius.

DR AMEENAH GURIB FAKIM WAS LISTED BY FORBES IN THE MOST POWERFUL WOMEN IN THE WORLD Dr (Mrs) Gurib-Fakim, was elevated to the Order of the Commander of the Star and Key by the Government of Mauritius in 2008, and admitted to the Order of the Order of the Chevalier dans L´Ordre des Palmes Academiques by the Government of France in 2010, and received DSc (s) from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Sorbonne Université), Paris, France in 2013 and from Greenwich University Pakistan (2015). In 2014, Dr (Mrs) Gurib-Fakim became the first Mauritian to address the prestigious TEDGlobal Conference in Rio de Janeiro. On 05 June 2015, Dr (Mrs) Gurib-Fakim was sworn in as the 6th President and the First Female President of the Republic of Mauritius. She was elevated to the Order of GCSK by the Government of Mauritius, admitted to the Order of Francois 1er des Deux Siciles by Prince Charles of Bourbon and received the Legion d´Honneur from the Government of France in 2016. In June 2016, she was in the Forbes List for the “˜Most Powerful women in the world´. Ms Gurib-Fakim has been elected Fellow of the Linnaen Society of London in 2007, Fellow of the Islamic Academy of Science, Jordan, in 2009, and Fellow of the African Science Institute in 2010 and the African Academy of Sciences.Ms Gurib-Fakim received the 2007 l´Oreal- UNESCO Prize for Women in Science and Laureate of the National Economic and Social Council. She is recipient of the special prize from the CTA/NEPAD/AGRA/RUFORUM and the African Union Commission Award for Women in Science, both in 2009.

-----------INTERVIEW OF H. E PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC OF MAURITIUS DR AMEENAH GURIB FAKIM------------ QUESTION RAHMA SOPHIA RACHDI : WE MET LAST YEAR AT THE WOMEN FORUM IN DEAUVILLE, THEN YOU WERE INVITED AT WF IN DUBAI AND 6 MONTHS LATER HERE WE ARE HERE IN MAURITIUS HOSTING YOUR OWN WOMEN FORUM ? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ANSWER DR AMEENAH GURIB FAKIM : “Thank you for giving me this opportunity we started on this forum on October with access to energy and related issues, when we we´re thinking in Deauville I knew we were going to Paris at the COP21 without any guaranty. I proposed to Jacqueline that I wanted to fix that angle and as the conference was evolving so I had to prepare this event in a very short time, and her we are now, here, gathering and debating about climate change and how to find strategies and how to implement them for achieving solutions and preventing dramatic changes in our daily lives but not only“. QUESTION RAHMA SOPHIA RACHDI : HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO REACH THAT POINT IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD AND TO ELABORATE THE CONTENT OF THE SUMMIT ?---------------------------------------------------- ANSWER DR AMEENAH GURIB FAKIM : We had chosen 5 sectors to be deterred and developed during our panel sessions, such as : 1- CLIMATE 2-AGRICULTURE 3-WATER 4- HEALTH 5- ENERGY “The world population will need “¦resources because of the growth of the population. That last crossing point figure innovation by 2020 we have to be very intelligent and use the disposal of resource for bigger people to live in decent way. Later we should have a creative thinking and reaching that level. We have started on that journey to the COP21, as a preamble of that discussion and it is something that we need so that we can have the hope for this agreement to become viable and the COP22 we will ratified by then, means 2020.------------------------------------------------------------------------------- QUESTION RAHMA SOPHIA RACHDI : WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS AFTER THIS WOMENS FORUM ? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ANSWER DR AMEENAH GURIB FAKIM : We have submitted our INDC and we have included our proposals to find a strategy and to help us to address our issues of climate change.------- QUESTION RAHMA SOPHIA RACHDI : IS MAURITIUS THE LEADER OF PACIFIC ISLANDS ESPECIALLY AFTER HOSTING SUCH A BIG EVENT WITH LARGE COVERAGE AND EXPOSURE ?------------------------------------------------ ANSWER DR AMEENAH GURIB FAKIM : It´s already happened by Australia South Africa have these kind of dialogues and above all this we got some experts in development projects and so that we avoid regrets form projects to be implemented and I´m sure there will be useful this is also the objective to get these people and other.---------------------------------------------- QUESTION RAHMA SOPHIA RACHDI : DO YOU EXPECT ANY OTHER CONNECTIONS FURTHER TO THIS FORUM ? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------ANSWER DR AMEENAH GURIB FAKIM : Laurence Tubiana came with a huge amount of information and knowledge and Nicolas Hulot who is also another emblematic figure. They came here along other many high level experts, but also few academic speakers such as Julius, from MIT, Ariana Marey under UNICEF, who came for debating and sharing their knowledge. All these all people brought and emulation, insights and observation.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- QUESTION RAHMA SOPHIA RACHDI : WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM THE NEXT OPPORTUNITIES TO BE OFFERED ?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------ANSWER DR AMEENAH GURIB FAKIM : For me there is no down sized even in the negative ways, renewable energies are assets some of range growths. Explanations in the renewable way is preventing the CO2 to capture Carbon in the atmosphere and young generations are now aware of that, and any intuitive and forum, or summit of any movement will promote a dialogue rather than ignorance. An this can help them in their evolution ara and in their lives“¦./--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The publication of this interview comes further the Women's Forum held in June 2016, in Mauritius, and coincides currently to the Global Forum, to he held two days ago in Deauville, under the Presidency of Clara Gaylord and the CEO Jacqueline Franjou. Last year at the same time, These two ladies respectively chairwoman and CEO of the Global Women's Forum initiated a discussion with the President of Mauritius Dr Ameenah Fakim Gurib, about setting up a Delegate Forum in Mauritius. Few months later it was done under the label " Meeting the climate challenge for SIDS and Africa 20-21 June 2016" A short and comprehensive negotiation between the three leaders women, turned into a big success of gathering delegates and new members from SIDS, and African countries to gather at this Delegate Forum../To be continued