Mauritius Sets Up Inter-Ministerial Committee to Oversee 84 Digital Projects

On 26 August 2025, the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation (MITCI)  convened, the First Meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the implementation of the Blueprint for Digital Transformation. The session, chaired by the Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, Dr Avinash Ramtohul, marks a decisive step towards advancing Mauritius’ national digital transformation agenda.

The meeting brought together the Minister of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity, Mr Ashok Kumar Subron; the Minister of Land Transport, Mr Mahomed Osman Cassam Mahomed; and the Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mrs Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie.Senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, and the Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reforms were also present, alongside heads of departments of the MITCI. This broad representation reflected Government’s commitment to ensuring that digital transformation is approached in a spirit of collaboration, inclusivity and shared responsibility.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee has been mandated to monitor, coordinate and guide the implementation of projects under the Digital Transformation Blueprint. It will serve as a critical governance mechanism to ensure accountability and efficiency while addressing challenges as they arise. The MITCI will act as the single point of contact for the projects, thereby strengthening inter-ministerial synergy and ensuring that all efforts remain well aligned.

During the meeting, Minister Ramtohul highlighted the five pillars and five enablers of the Blueprint and the range of projects assigned to each Ministry. They include: the digitalisation of schools, the development of a Digital Social Security platform and the implementation of a Cell Broadcast System for public alerts. The Minister also underlined that flagship projects such as the Online Motor Vehicle Licence renewal has already been deployed adding that the training of medical staff for the E-Health system has started.

According to Minister Ramtohul, the Blueprint should be a living framework that drives real transformation. Digitalisation is an ecosystem in which every player has an important role to play, and the success of the Blueprint depends on collective progress, he said. With around 84 projects stemming from this national strategy, digital tools will play a supporting role to help Ministries achieve their individual objectives in a more efficient and inclusive manner.

For his part, Minister Ashok Subron welcomed the initiative, highlighting that his Ministry manages close to one million files and therefore stands among those most in need of digitisation. He affirmed that within two years, citizens should be able to carry out applications directly via mobile platforms, benefitting more than 500,000 beneficiaries of social aid. He further expressed his conviction that progress will now accelerate, noting that necessary technical adjustments will be made along the way to ensure success.

As for Minister Osman Mahomed, he deplored that Mauritius has for too long lagged behind in certain crucial digitalisation efforts. He, however, expressed confidence that under the new collaborative framework, digital platforms will now be fully harnessed to enhance service delivery, strengthen monitoring and accelerate the government’s broader digitalisation agenda. Minister Arianne Navarre-Marie dwelt on the importance of adopting a holistic approach to digital transformation, particularly in protecting vulnerable groups from online harm. She recalled that in February, her Ministry had compiled a comprehensive file on revenge pornography targeting children and women and stressed the urgency of enacting new legislation to protect victims of cyberbullying and online harassment. She reiterated that digital transformation must go hand in hand with strong social safeguards.

The meeting also comprised a technical presentation by the IT Director of the Information and Communication Technologies Authority, Mr Trilok Dabeesing, who outlined the projects falling under the Blueprint. He stressed the need to keep all projects citizen-centric, recalling that digital transformation must remain grounded in the everyday needs of the people and must deliver real, tangible benefits to citizens.

Each Ministry will establish its own Steering Committee to oversee and follow up on projects under its responsibility, while the Inter-Ministerial Committee will report to Cabinet on a monthly basis.