March 12: Mauritius National Day

Ingrid Nováková, international specialist, March 12, 2025

History of Mauritius's independence

Mauritius gained independence from the United Kingdom on March 12, 1968, after more than 150 years of British colonization. The process began in the 1940s with the rise of nationalism, driven by Guy Rozemont and Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, leader of the Mauritius Labour Party. In 1965, a constitutional conference was held at Lancaster House in London, where Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, together with Jules Koenig and Gaëtan Duval, negotiated the terms of independence. However, under British pressure, Mauritius had to accept the separation of the Chagos Archipelago, which was placed under British control. In 1967, legislative elections confirmed popular support for independence, with the coalition led by the Labour Party winning out over supporters of remaining under the British crown. On March 12, 1968, the independence ceremony took place in Port Louis, in the presence of Prince Edward, representing Queen Elizabeth II. Seewoosagur Ramgoolam became Mauritius's first Prime Minister, while the island retained the status of a constitutional monarchy with the Queen of England as head of state.

Challenges after independence

The unemployment rate exceeded 20% in the 1970s, triggering a wave of emigration to Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. The government of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam then launched a policy of economic diversification, introducing export processing zones in 1970 that attracted foreign textile companies, notably from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Socially, Mauritius experienced communal tensions, particularly after the 1968 riots and the 1999 unrest following the death in custody of singer Kaya. The question of Chagos also remained a source of diplomatic tension, as the United Kingdom had detached the archipelago from Mauritius in 1965 to build a US military base on Diego Garcia. This decision was challenged by Mauritius on the international stage, and decades later the International Court of Justice ruled the separation of the archipelago illegal, paving the way for new negotiations over the return of Chagos. The transition to a republic in 1992 under President Cassam Uteem strengthened democratic institutions, although corruption scandals and power struggles between political parties persist.