Navin Ramgoolam has previously held the position of prime minister during two terms, first from 1995 to 2000 and later from 2005 to 2014.

Veteran Mauritian politician Navin Ramgoolam was inaugurated as prime minister for the fourth time on Wednesday, a decade after his last tenure, following a resounding victory by his coalition in the general election.

Ramgoolam's Alliance du Changement (ADC) coalition achieved a sweeping win, capturing 60 out of 62 seats in the national assembly with 62.6% of the vote in Sunday’s election.

The swearing-in ceremony took place at State House, the official residence of President Prithvirajsing Roopun, attended by lawmakers, foreign diplomats, and senior government officials.

After the ceremony, the 77-year-old Ramgoolam, who previously served as prime minister from 1995 to 2000 and again from 2005 to 2014, addressed reporters, stating that the nation had cast its vote with anger and expressing his commitment to transformation.

"From hell"

"There is a unity between us and the people. We will work to lift the country from hell," he declared.

In 2006, Ramgoolam introduced reforms to reduce bureaucracy and simplify taxes to diversify Mauritius' $10 billion economy beyond tourism, textiles, and sugar exports.

Since then, the island nation of around 1.3 million people has established itself as a link between Africa and Asia, growing as an offshore financial center and consistently earning the World Bank’s ranking as the easiest place to do business in Africa.

Despite leading the Indian Ocean archipelago to a 7.0% economic growth rate last year, outgoing Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth's popularity was reportedly weakened by a cost of living crisis and allegations of corruption.

Last month, Jugnauth, who had held office since 2017, brokered an agreement for Britain to relinquish the Chagos Islands while maintaining the joint US-British Diego Garcia airbase.