Port Louis, Mauritius — Haramin Solidarity Movement of Mauritius which regroups Muslims associations across the country organized a gathering on the theme: "The teachings of Islam and the strategic importance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia" on Sunday in Pailles. More than 4,000 people gathered for the event. Amongst those who participated were Showkutally Soodhun, Vice-Prime Minister of Mauritius, and his colleague Sudarshan Bhadain, Minister of Financial Services, Good Governance and Institutional Reforms. Soodhun expressed the support of the community for Saudi Arabia, the home to two of the most sacred places of Islam. He said that Saudi Arabia has always been a leading donor when it comes to help countries in distress. He cited the example of one of the most famous causes of the Muslim world: the Palestine issue. "Our brothers from Palestine have been suffering since long. The Kingdom has been a great supporter of the Palestinian cause. In July 2015, the Kingdom decided to increase the financial aid to Palestine by raising its monthly aid to the Palestinian Authority's budget from $14 million to $20 million. The substantial increase brings Saudi Arabia's yearly aid for Palestine to $240 million, thus matching the United Kingdom's annual budget aid for the Palestinian Authority." According to VPM Soodhun, Mauritius itself has significant benefited from the Saudi aid. "Back from the establishment of the building of the Islamic Cultural Centre in the years 2000s, the Saudi establishment has been a great benefactor to this marvel of architecture which is found in capital city of Mauritius and a pride of the Mauritian Muslim community", said Soodhun. The VPM also talked about the assistance that Saudi Arabia provides to Mauritian pilgrims for Haj. "Last year, when 5 Mauritian pilgrims were lost during Haj, the Kingdom did everything possible to assist us". Minister Roshi Bhadain enumerated the different projects which Saudi Arabia and other gulf countries have financed in Mauritius, most particularly in the energy and telecommunications sector. He said the relationship between the Kingdom and Mauritius will be further consolidated via the financing of new projects in the island. The participants unanimously said that the Kingdom is a sacred land whose interests should be protected and whereby peace should be maintained at all times. Haramin Solidarity Movement of Mauritius was established some two months ago by the Mauritius Muslim community to support the Kingdom and back its actions against terrorism and other issues, Movement's spokesperson Abdul Qayoom told Saudi Gazette.
