Saudi $6 Million Mosque Fund: 'The Truth Has Come Out,' Says Peeroo

A long-running political controversy over a $6 million Saudi Arabian aid package for Mauritius has resurfaced — this time with new facts that appear to vindicate those who denied the funds were ever misappropriated. **The background** In 2024, during Mauritius's heated electoral period, claims circulated that Saudi Arabia had already transferred $6 million to Mauritius to support mosques across the island, and that the then-governing Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) had diverted the money for political purposes. The allegations were serious and widely discussed. However, the Mauritian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement as early as 16 September 2024 confirming that no funds had been disbursed. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Mauritius and Saudi Arabia had not yet been finalised, meaning there was no money to divert in the first place. **Where things stand now** The Council of Ministers — Mauritius's cabinet — announced on 2 October 2026 that the MOU between the two countries on mosque support is now ready to be signed. The signing ceremony is scheduled for 18 October 2026 in Riyadh, the Saudi capital. The fact that the agreement is only being formalised now, nearly two years after the allegations were made, provides strong evidence that the funds were not, in fact, disbursed in 2024. **Peeroo speaks out** Speaking to ION News this week, prominent lawyer Me Assad Peeroo said bluntly: "The truth has come out." In Mauritian Creole, he stated that certain members of the current government — who were in opposition at the time — had led the public to believe that the former government had diverted the Saudi money and used it for other purposes. Peeroo is now calling on those individuals to publicly apologise for the claims they made. He also took the opportunity to urge that the $6 million, once disbursed, be distributed fairly and equitably, without favouritism. **What this means** This story touches on a pattern familiar in Mauritian politics: allegations of financial misconduct made during election campaigns that later prove difficult to substantiate. The approaching signing of the Saudi MOU effectively closes the loop on the 2024 claims — there was no disbursement then, and the deal is only being concluded now. For Muslim communities across Mauritius, the signing of this agreement is significant. The $6 million from Saudi Arabia is intended to support mosques on the island, and many will be watching closely to ensure the funds are allocated transparently and without political bias — a concern Peeroo himself raised. The case also underlines the importance of official confirmation from institutions like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when politically charged financial allegations circulate, particularly during election seasons. Source: ION News