Sierra Leone in land offer to Mauritius

The Minister of Trade and Industry of Sierra Leone, Dr Richard Konteh, said yesterday that his country is putting at the disposal of Mauritian investors 200,000 hectares of land.

Dr Konteh made the offer during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Sierra Leone Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SLIEPA) and the Board of Investment (BOI).

Acting Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Dr Vasant Bunwaree, and senior government officials of both countries were present “Sierra Leone is providing you with 200,000 hectares that could be used to cultivate sugar cane.

We are inviting sugar industries from Mauritius to take this opportunity to develop economic activities linked with sugar cane such as sugar, ethanol and energy production,” said Dr Konteh.

He added that these products could be sold on the domestic market in Sierra Leone and also exported to countries in the region.

Sierra Leone wants to learn and to benefit from, and to seek stronger bonds of friendship with Mauritius. “Your country has the expertise and know-how. That’s why we have come here,” he said.

Dr Konteh has invited a high-powered delegation of both public and private sectors from Mauritius to participate in a mega business and investment forum to be held in November in Sierra Leone.

“Many possibilities of partnership exist between our two countries. Let’s start with one or two sectors, then we will move to other sectors as Sierra Leone is a country of diamonds, gold, gas and other mineral products.

“We believe that there could be a lot of exchanges between the two countries,” he said, adding that “Sierra Leone looks to sign a formal bilateral trade agreement with Mauritius.”

Dr Bunwaree said that Mauritius shares one important objective with the Sierra Leone economy, that of attracting foreign direct investment.

“I believe that in this fast globalising world economy, countries like Mauritius and Sierra Leone should collaborate more extensively so as to better integrate the mainstream global economy.”

Business opportunities 

He invited the SLIEPA to work in close collaboration with the BoI to identify business opportunities for Mauritian entrepreneurs and proposed that discussions start between the two countries to conclude agreements such as a Double Taxation Avoidance Treaty, and an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement.

SLIEPA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Patrick Caulker and BoI Managing Director Prakash Maunthrooa have signed an MoU which provides the necessary framework for regional cooperation and is line with the outward investment strategy and the cooperation programme of BoI.

It is the 11th MOU that BOI has signed with its counterpart in the region. “This collaborative agreement will on the one hand increase the flow of investment in the region and, on the other hand, develop intra-regional trade and investment between Sierra Leone and Mauritius,” Said Mr Maunthrooa.

By Clifford Vellien