Special Report: Mauritius: World Financial Centre

Mauritius rides wave of Asian investment in Africa

Country positions itself as a base for services to Chinas richest individuals

Funding on track: Chinese and local railway workers in Kenya

2 HOURS AGO By: Vanessa Houlder in Port Louis

When the Bank of China secured a Mauritian banking license in March, it was hailed as proof of the
islands potential as a staging post for Africa.

Its arrival was the latest addition to what the finance ministry describes as an important number of
Asian state-owned enterprises using Mauritius as a launch pad to Africa.

Antony Withers, chief executive of the Mauritius Commercial Bank, says the move was the most
tangible sign yet of Mauritiuss ability to become a centre for Chinese investment. Mauritius has a
wonderful opportunity to act as a conduit to spur the growth of the African continent, he adds.
Until recently, mainland Africa had played a relatively minor role in the islands evolution as an
international financial centre. But over the past few years, the focus has changed. Africa is now
driving Mauritiuss future development, at a time when a tax treaty change has thrown its
traditional reliance on India in doubt.

The turning point was 2012, when more than half of the new investment flowing through Mauritian
companies that are licensed to do offshore business went to Africa, according to the International
Monetary Fund.

Amal Autar, director of the Mauritius International Trust Company and chairman of Step Mauritius,
the professional association for tax planners, says business with eastern and sub-Saharan Africa has
taken up much of the slack left by the sharp drop in its Indian business in recent years. They say
Mauritius is blessed. Doors open up at difficult times, he says.

The timing may have been fortuitous but Mauritiuss ability to build its links with the continent can
partly be attributed to its energetic pursuit of tax treaties with African nations over the past 20 years.
It has negotiated about two dozen such treaties which restrict the right of states to tax foreigners
investing via Mauritius although several have not yet been signed or entered into force.

The future of some of these treaties is not assured. In Kenya, campaigner Tax Justice Network Africa
has taken the government to court alleging that its treaty with Mauritius breaches the principle of
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good governance, sustainability and accountability. Other countries are watching closely, says Jared
Maranga of Tax Justice Africa. Elsewhere, Rwanda re-established some of its taxing rights in a 2013
renegotiation of its treaty with Mauritius.

Martin Hearson, an expert on tax treaties at the London School of Economics, says Mauritius is facing
a a tide of re-examination by African countries. But he points out that the country is not used only
for tax purposes, putting it in a strong position to adapt if its tax advantages diminish.

Private client work is a growing strand of the financial sectors business. Traditionally Mauritius has
always been known for corporate investment structuring because of the treaties, says Mr. Autar. But
what we are seeing now is the emergence of the market for high net worth individuals.

In this, as in the corporate sector, China represents a growing market, says Samade Jhummun, chief
executive of Global Finance Mauritius, which represents the financial services industry.

He says the number of Chinese investors with a net worth of more than $16m has grown by 14 per
cent in the past year to 89,000. Many will be looking to invest outside China, using Hong Kong as a
base and Mauritius as a platform to invest in Africa, he says. Some of the incentives in the
governments recent budget are aimed at encouraging such people to set up family offices to manage
their wealth in Mauritius.

Mauritius is competing with other African nations, including South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria, in its
ambition to be a regional hub. One obstacle has been its traditionally poor connections with Africa,
but these are improving. In May, Air Mauritius launched its inaugural flights to Maputo and Dares
Salaam, on top of routes to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Nairobi.

Mauritius has some advantages over its rivals. It tops the African rankings for governance and for
ease of doing business. It also has language skills. When insurer Axa Group launched a new venture in
Africa this year, it chose Mauritius to process and issue policies, citing its educated population which
is equally fluent in English and French.

Richard Arlove, chief executive of Abax, a financial services group, says that bilingualism allows
Mauritius to act as a bridge between different parts of Africa. But he insists there are other strengths,
such as investment skills and legal expertise. Tax is still important for Mauritius, he says, but these
days it is not the main component at all.

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