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Mauritius advertises itself as a gateway to Africa for Indian trade

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Port Louis, Mauritius (CU)_ According to the senior government and industry leaders who attended a bilateral business roundtable at the Indian pavilion in EXPO2020 Dubai, Mauritius should be viewed as a wonderful gateway to the greater African continent by Indian firms after the two nations inked an economic accord earlier this year. Africa’s GDP is anticipated to grow tenfold to $30 trillion by 2050, creating enormous economic prospects for Indian enterprises. They noted that the population of the continent is predicted to reach 2.6 billion within the same time span.

Speakers highlighted that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Cooperation Agreement (CECPA) signed between India and Mauritius, which took effect on April 1, allows Indian investors to see Mauritius as a stepping stone to Africa. Mr. Janesh Kain, India’s Deputy High Commissioner to Mauritius, spoke about the government initiatives. He said, “The Government of Mauritius has come up with a lot of incentives. And they will be reaching out to the private players in India as well. I feel there is a need to look into this proposal seriously”. He advised the Indian enterprises to view Mauritius as a gateway for the larger African continent.

According to him, although India is one of Mauritius’s largest trading partners, the bilateral trade and commercial potential have not been fully realized. He added that a plan to establish a pharma center would benefit not just Mauritius but also the entire African continent.

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Dr. Yousouf Ismael, Secretary-General of the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce, also emphasized bilateral prospects and those on the broader African continent. Dr. Ismael explained about the themes of Dubai Expo. He said, “If we were to look at the three important sub-themes of the actual Dubai Expo, it’s about mobility. It’s about sustainability, and it’s about the opportunity. I think the three words, as much as the overall philosophy of the Dubai Expo, is an important message for all of us present today because this is what we have to do as members, creating not only our own destiny but also our own future.”

Mr. Shakeel Jaulim, Pavilion Director of Mauritius Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, spoke about the ideal location of the Island that supports trade. He said, “Mauritius is a natural gateway to Africa for trade, as it is located at a strategic geographic position in the Indian ocean. Indian companies can take advantage of this fact that Mauritius is a Free Trade Agreement member of the Common Market for Southern and Eastern Africa and the Southern African Development Community”.

Ganapathi Ramachandran, Member, FICCI Africa Council and Chairman of Trigyn Technologies Limited, spoke about the trade deals and other relationships between India and Mauritius. He stated, “In recent years, India has stepped up its engagement with Africa, specifically, with Mauritius, which is an important trade partner of India in the region.”

Ganapathi Ramachandran also stated that the CECPA was India’s first trade pact with an African country, demonstrating how important Mauritius is to India. He spoke about the trade between India and Mauritius. He said, “In FY20, India exported goods worth $662 million and imported commodities worth $28 million from Mauritius, which is below existing potential, but I feel it can be substantially increased now if the opportunities of the CECPA are fully utilised”.

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