GIS – 03 September 2026: A National Aviation Council, reporting to the Prime Minister, will be established shortly to review air access policy from a global perspective and ensure that it serves the best interests of Mauritius.
The Prime Minister, Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam made the announcement today following a working session with a delegation from Air Mauritius at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis.
The delegation included, among others, the Secretary to Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service and Non-Executive/Independent Director on the Board of Directors of Air Mauritius, Mr Suresh Chundre Seeballuck; the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Air Mauritius, Mr Dheerendra Kumar Dabee; and the Chief Executive Officer of Air Mauritius, Mr Andries Nathaniel Viljoen.
Also present were the Executive Chairman of Airport Holdings Ltd and Non-Executive/Independent Director of the Board of Directors of Air Mauritius, Mr Meghanathan Pillay; the Non-Executive/Independent Director of the Board of Directors of Air Mauritius, Mr Appalsamy Thomas; and the Chairman of the Board of Airport Holdings Ltd, Mr Raju Jadoo.
The Prime Minister said the priority was to review the country’s air access policy and move beyond the narrow approach of considering individual requests through Air Mauritius. Discussions focused on exploring ways to broaden air access to the benefit of both Air Mauritius and the country, as well as examining the various options available.
According to him, the forthcoming National Aviation Council will comprise not only representatives from Air Mauritius and the civil aviation authorities, but also professionals with experience in aviation and air access policy, in order to provide a global perspective.
The Prime Minister further informed that the Government of Abu Dhabi has for some time expressed interest in having Etihad Airways serve the Mauritian destination. Dr Ramgoolam stressed that any such initiative should form part of a comprehensive project that extends beyond aviation and delivers broader benefits to the country. He added that the newly established National Aviation Council would examine this specific request.
Government Information Service, Prime Minister’s Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: gis@govmu.org Website: https://gis.govmu.org/gis Mobile App: GIS News
