Mauritius-Turkey FTA into Force from 1 June 2013

ATF Mauriitus Turkey was signed on 9 September 2011 in Istanbul by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Arvin Boolell and Minister of Economy of Turkey Zafer Caglayan. The agreement provides, among other things: a) a duty regime for exports of industrial products with the exception of Mauritius 70 products (mainly textiles) for which Turkey has agreed to eliminate tariffs over four. The long-term goal is the elimination of non-tariff barriers.

Provision is also made under the agreement, the application of flexible rules of origin, including the simple transformation rule for clothing and tuna exported . The two countries have also agreed to offer preferential market access for agricultural products (including chilled fish, anthurium, tropical fruits such as pineapple, guava and gaps, vegetables, biscuits and canned tuna .)

To export agricultural and fishery products to Turkey, Mauritian producers will be able to meet the phytosanitary regulations imposed by the Turkish authorities. They must also ensure that the importers in this country have obtained the necessary permits.

ATF provides an offer preferential access to Mauritian market for a number of products from Turkey. The list of products includes, among others, biscuits, meat, pasta, paints, soap, steel items. Sensitive products are excluded from this list.

Local authorities reveal that Mauritius is the first country in the Southern to sign a FTA with Turkey Africa region. "The agreement will contribute to the establishment of balanced trade relations and serve to satisfy the interests of the two countries which is to maintain and expand bilateral trade," said an official statement.

Last year, Mauritian exports to Turkey amounted to approximately Rs 125.9 million, the main products being exported clothing cotton and denim products. Mauritian imports from Turkey have turned around Rs 1.3 billion. The iron bars, dried fruit, pasta, napkins and biscuits were the main imported products.

Moreover, the Mauritian side hopes that the bilateral agreement will give a boost to investment, particularly the Turkish side. There would be an interest of the Turks to establish an air link with Mauritius. According to an official estimate, Turkish investment in Africa has surpassed the 5 billion U.S. dollars in 2011. Countries targeted by investors in Turkey were South Africa, Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Cameroon and Uganda.