Ramgoolam, the opposition leader in Mauritius, has been sworn in as Prime Minister following a significant electoral defeat

Navin Ramgoolam, a seasoned politician from Mauritius, took the oath of office as prime minister for the fourth time on Wednesday, marking a decade since his previous tenure, after his coalition achieved a remarkable victory in the general election.

The Alliance du Changement (ADC) coalition achieved a remarkable victory, securing 60 out of 62 national assembly seats with 62.6% of the votes in the recent ballot held on Sunday.

Ramgoolam was sworn in during a concise ceremony at State House, the official residence of President Prithvirajsing Roopun, attended by a group of lawmakers, foreign diplomats, and senior civil servants.

Following the event, the 77-year-old Ramgoolam, who had previously held the position of prime minister from 1995 to 2000 and again from 2005 to 2014, informed reporters that the nation had cast its vote out of anger, and that he aimed to bring about change.

“A connection exists between us and the people.” “We will strive to elevate the nation from its dire circumstances,” he stated.

In 2006, Ramgoolam initiated a program aimed at reducing bureaucracy and simplifying taxes to diversify the $10 billion economy beyond tourism, textiles, and sugar exports.

Since then, this country of about 1.3 million people, which positions itself as a bridge between Africa and Asia, has developed into an offshore financial centre and has been consistently recognized by the World Bank as the easiest place to conduct business in Africa.

Although guiding the Indian Ocean archipelago to a 7.0% economic growth last year, outgoing Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth’s popularity seemed to have suffered significantly due to a cost of living crisis and allegations of corruption.

Last month, Jugnauth, who has held office since 2017, successfully negotiated an agreement for Britain to cede the Chagos Islands while maintaining control of the U.S.-British Diego Garcia air base.