His Excellency Prithvirajsing Roopun, President of the Republic of Mauritius, has congratulated Sierra Leone’s President Dr Julius Maada Bio for emerging as the winner in the category of “African of the Year” award and called for a deepening bilateral relationship between the two countries.

Both leaders had a great bilateral meeting at the State House residence ahead of the 11th African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year Awards Presentation Ceremony slated for Saturday, 25 February, in Port Louis, Mauritius.

They both expressed commitment to working in the areas of agriculture, tourism, education, information technology and private-sector collaboration.

President Roopun also commended President Bio for his efforts at increasing access to education, adding that Mauritius had made great strides in education.

Education is compulsory and free between ages 5 and 16 in the island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the southeast coast of Africa. Mauritian students consistently rank top worldwide yearly for the Cambridge International O Level, International A and AS level examinations.

President Bio thanked President Roopun for the hospitality and praised the Government and people of Mauritius for the progress they had made. He stated that both countries would share experiences and continue to collaborate at both continental and global levels.

In December 2022, President Bio emerged as the winner of the “African of the Year 2022” after polling over 68% of the total votes. The poll attracted combined total votes of over 15,000 and over 1 million active online engagements during the voting period. The previous winner of the “African of the Year 2021” was Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi.