This follows a mid-term review conducted in 2011, bringing the total envelope of grant funds in this programme to 64.2 million euros. The nation has received a total of 336 million euros from the EU since 2008.

At the signing ceremony, finance minister Xavier Luc Duval said that this bonus will support a specific programme to improve the four Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), namely; child mortality, maternal health, access to water and sanitation and agriculture and food security.

“We are expecting to receive 70 million euros more by the end of this year. We are thankful but also stress that the support has to be maintained. We are a middle income economy. It was hard to get there from a low income one, and it will be hard to become a high income one as well,” emphasised Duval.

Alessandro Mariani, ambassador and head of delegation of the EU to Mauritius said the programme will have specific focus on Rodrigues.

“The EU welcomes the decision to reduce cess for the 2011 crop to Rs 287 million and the reform of the Service Providing Institutions. We are also optimistic that the two other reforms and corresponding key performance indicators agreed under our joint budget support programme will be fulfilled soon,” commented Mariani.

The first key performance indicator hinges on inviting an open international tender for the setting of a 100 MW coal electricity production plaint using the latest coal technology in line with environmental standards. The second one relates to the ethanol use framework.

“EU is looking forward to be informed whether the use of E5 will be made optional or mandatory and the date when the ethanol blend will be available for consumers at the filling station,” he concluded.