The African Development Bank (AfDB) hosted its Civil Society Open Day in Mauritius on September 16, 2026, assembling local non-governmental organizations, government officials and bank representatives to strengthen community involvement in national development projects.
The day-long gathering took place from 9:00 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. at the Caudan Arts Centre in Port Louis. It served as a direct consultation platform to review the bank’s investment portfolio in Mauritius, evaluate ongoing economic initiatives and ensure that community-focused priorities are built into future country strategies.
A major milestone of the event was the launch of a new tripartite dialogue platform designed to formalize strategic cooperation between the African Development Bank, the Government of Mauritius, and local civil society organizations.
Co-chaired by Ms. Moono Mupotola, the Bank’s Deputy Director General for Southern Africa and head of the Mauritius Country Office alongside Ms. Zéneb Touré, Manager of the Civil Society and Community Engagement Division, the initiative establishes a structured framework for public feedback. The framework ensures non-profit groups, youth advocates and community leaders participate directly in project design, execution and evaluation rather than serving solely as external observers.
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Bank leaders emphasized that keeping civil society engaged is critical for ensuring development projects deliver real-world benefits to local communities. The Open Day allowed local organizations to gain firsthand insights into bank operations, evaluate ongoing initiatives, highlight pressing social challenges and provide direct feedback on upcoming Country Strategy Papers.
The gathering forms part of the bank’s broader Civil Society Engagement Action Plan, which aims to institutionalize public consultation across all regional member countries. By embedding citizen-led accountability into large-scale infrastructure and economic programs, the initiative ensures that sovereign investments directly support grassroots needs and local economic resilience.
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