China Makes Large Donation of 3D Printers, Scanners, and Filament to Government of Mauritius

According to the 3D Printing Trends Q1-2017 report from 3D Hubs, New York remains the #1 Top Print City, offering more 3D printing services than any other city in the world. Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Milan round out the rest of the top five 3D printing cities in the world. What do these places all have in common? They are all big cities – yes, I realize this may seem pretty obvious. But 3D printing is much more prevalent in large cities across the world because people living there have access to it, unlike residents of more remote areas like Nicaragua, Uganda, and Nepal…and what could be more remote than an island nation, like Australia or Mauritius? The Republic of Mauritius, located some 855 km east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean and boasting a population of just 1.26 million (by 2015 estimates), joined 3D Hubs back in 2015, so there is some 3D printing going on there. But now there’s about to be a lot more: the People’s Republic of China just made a large 3D printer donation to Mauritius.

The donation was made in order to consolidate the existing friendship between the two countries, after the University of Mauritius opened a Confucius Institute on its campus in December 2016. The mission of the Confucius Institute: A Gateway to China is to enhance the intercultural understanding between both countries, through multiple outreach and educational activities. The Confucius Institute is a non-profit organization, and its many overseas branches teach students about Chinese culture and language. The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Li Li, who was a distinguished guest at the opening of the Confucius Institute, presented the equipment to the Mauritius Prime Minister, Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth yesterday, at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis, the nation’s capitol.

It was quite a large donation: 23 3D printers, 12 scanners, and 300 spools of 3D printing filament were given to the Mauritius government. Prime Minister Jugnauth made a public address in response to the donation, and expressed gratitude towards China its support of the continuing development of Mauritius.

Prime Minister Jugnauth said the donated equipment from China will be used for the purposes of communication and information technology in various government departments and institutions, and represents another “leap forward” in strengthening the bond between both Mauritius and China. He also said that the gesture is strong testimony to the countries’ long, friendly relationship since diplomatic ties were established between the two in 1972, and that this relationship must continue to be nurtured.

The 3D printers, filament, and scanners will be allotted for use at twelve different government locations, spanning government ministries (the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life and the Ministry of Housing and Lands), businesses, and institutional educations, including the following:

• University of Mauritius
• University of Technology Mauritius
• Mauritius Institute of Training and Development
• School of Polytechnics
• University of Mascareignes
• Open University of Mauritius

The Central Information Systems Division, MyBiz, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority, and Technopoles will also be using the donated equipment.

Prime Minister Jugnauth said that Mauritius has always received help from China, in terms of funding, expertise, and technical assistance in implementing projects, such as the construction of a multi-purpose Olympic sports complex, the Bagatalle Dam project, the new SSRI airport terminal, and a donation of semi-low floor buses. He also pointed out that while his country was privileged to have received assistance from China, the two enjoy a strong economic cooperation.

Ambassador Li Li also talked about the long and friendly relationship between the countries, which he said has only “strengthened with time,” and explained that China’s donation of 3D printing equipment “fits in the determination of the Chinese Authority to help Mauritius in its developmental phase.”

The ambassador also stated that his country would continue to offer assistance to Mauritius. A lot can be said for friendly relationships between technologically-advanced countries like China, which often utilizes and develops 3D printing in various sectors, such as healthcare and construction, and places like Mauritius, which can greatly benefit from this kind of guidance and donation. Someday, maybe Port Louis will be at the top of a 3D Hubs printing trend report. Discuss in the China Donation forum at 3DPB.com.

[Sources: AllAfrica, Republic of Mauritius]