🇲🇺MauritiusEast Africa
Artificial intelligence and digital revolution challenge human foundations, raising questions of value and social cohesion
via Le Mauricien3 min read
Artificial intelligence AI and the digital revolution are fundamentally transforming daily life and businesses, rapidly replacing human tasks and impacting employment. While digitalization is crucial for national development, including for Mauritius, a society's progress extends beyond economic performance to include human, social, and moral dimensions. French Ambassador Frédéric Bontems highlighted the need to define "value" beyond mere measurability and monetisation, questioning how solidarity, friendship, generosity, and altruism, which are vital for social cohesion, fit into this framework. As Mauritius approaches its 2026-27 budget, the challenge lies in balancing economic growth with social justice in a rapidly changing economy. Pope Leo XIV's encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, addresses the dangers of AI, warning against a society that prioritizes data over human dignity and risks creating a "new Tower of Babel" where technological power overshadows individuals. The article emphasizes that technology should serve humanity, not the reverse, as machines cannot replicate consciousness, empathy, or human relationships. For Mauritius, the transformation of sectors like administration, services, finance, and customer relations by automation presents significant social questions. These include how to support affected workers, prepare youth for future jobs without over-reliance on digital tools, and ensure productivity gains benefit more than a minority. True progress, the artic
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Mauricien.
Quality Beverages Ltd QBL and EcoMoris Sustainable Solutions Ltd have formed a partnership to enhance plastic waste management and develop a local recycling value chain in Mauritius. This collaboration aligns with QBL's commitment to the circular economy and responsible waste management practices. A key objective is to create a closed-loop system for flexible plastics, specifically the shrink films used in beverage packaging. Inigo de Prado, Managing Director of Quality Beverages Ltd, stated that this partnership allows QBL to collect, track, and recycle used flexible plastics through EcoMoris, which are then reused to package their products. QBL plans to supply its plastic waste to EcoMoris for recycling and gradually integrate locally recycled materials into its secondary packaging operations. The goal is to reduce the company's reliance on imported plastic by up to 37% through this closed-loop system. Priya Rana, Chief Transformation Officer and Head of Sustainability at Quality Beverages Ltd, emphasized that this partnership supports QBL's sustainable development strategy and its ambition to contribute to a circular economy in Mauritius, where resources are valued and integrated into production cycles. Mauritius generates approximately 120,000 tons of plastic waste annually, much of which is currently landfilled. EcoMoris Sustainable Solutions Ltd, founded by Jay Lai Fat Fur and Sohaeb Pasha, was established to address this issue, developing industrial infrastructure for
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