Mauritius ambitions to become digital and AI hub linking Africa and Asia

Mauritius aims to position itself as a premier digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) hub linking Africa and Asia, stated the Junior Minister of Finance, Mr Dhaneshwar Damry, this morning at Le Meridien Hotel in Pointe aux Piments, during the opening ceremony of a three-day Annual Tax Conference of Deloitte Africa.

The Junior Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Hambyrajen Narsinghen; the Country Managing Partner of Deloitte Mauritius, Mr Twaleb Butonkee; the Managing Partner Tax and Legal Deloitte Africa, Mrs Itireleng Kubekal; and other personalities were also present on the occasion.

In his address, Junior Minister Damry pointed to the AI City project at Côte d’Or, which is expected to host several centres of excellence in AI. He underlined that taxation must serve the people and support inclusive development, stressing the importance of clear, predictable and credible tax systems in boosting investor confidence and attracting private capital to Africa.

Referring to Africa’s growth potential, he indicated that the continent is recording growth of around 4.5%, while facing challenges such as high public debt, fiscal deficits and limited fiscal space. He observed that Governments alone cannot provide the capital required for development and underscored the need for private capital to play a greater role.

Junior Minister Damry further noted that the high perception of risk in Africa remains a challenge and highlighted the role of sound tax systems in helping to de-risk capital flows. He further emphasised Mauritius’ efforts to strengthen economic integration with the African continent through enhanced air, port, financial and digital connectivity.

For his part, Mr Butonkee dwelt on Deloitte Mauritius’ longstanding presence since 1952 and its close links with the African continent. As for Mrs Kubekal, she stressed the importance of greater collaboration among African countries on tax reforms and the adoption of digital technologies and AI.

Held under the theme ‘Clarity drives progress, Confidence builds resilience’, the conference brings together around 200 participants from across Africa to discuss global trade developments, tax governance, compliance, AI and Africa’s contribution to global tax policy.

06 October 2026

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Topics: Finance, Artificial Intelligence