The Courier N°135 Sept-Oct 1992- Dossier : The Pacific in perspective - Country Reports : Guinea - Mauritius

 

AFRICA-CARIBEEAN-PACIFIC - EUROPEAN COMMUNITY

Meeting point: Afamasaga Toleafoa

His Excellency, Mr Afamasaga Toleafoa of Western Samoa has considerable experience in representing his country abroad. In conjunction with our Dossier on the Pacific region, the Ambassador, who has looked after Western Samoa's interests in Brussels since 19X5, describes the pitfalls and challenges he faces in carrying out his diplomatic duties. He also discusses in depth, some of the principal economic and social issues affecting the Pacific region today.

Country reports

GUINEA: Those who hoped that Guinea - with its immense riches - might succeed quickly in breaking out from 26 years of economic stagnation, were sadly mistaken. Today, the country is facing a serious financial crisis. despite the implementation of a structural adjustment programme which has now been in place for six month. It is against this background that the process of democratisation is taking place, with elections due in November.

Mauritius: Over the past decade, Mauritius has succeeded in its first phase of industrialisation and has made considerable progress towards MC-status. An essentially textiles-led boom allowed it to conquer unemployment very rapidly, so its current full employment context forces it to go for a high-tech capital intensive approach. Will it succeed in becoming the tiger of the Indian Ocean'? President Cassam Uteem, former President Sir Verrassamy Ringadoo and Prime Minister Sir Aneerood Jugnauth give their views.

Dossier: The Pacific in perspective

Following on from our Dossiers earlier this year on the Caribbean and Africa, we complete the ACP 'set' in this edition, with a more detailed look at the Pacific. Focusing particularly, but not exclusively, on the eight ACP countries, we consider the most important issues currently affecting the region. We also examine some of the institutional mechanisms which have been developed to help the small island nations of the Pacific tackle common problems in a coordinated way.