From 13 to 15 July 2026, Cape Town hosted the 6th India-Africa Entrepreneurship and Investment Summit, bringing together more than 300 delegates from 26 countries. Held at The Westin Cape Town, the event spotlighted the combined economic potential of India and Africa, estimated at nearly USD 7 trillion.
Mauritius: strategic partner of the India-Africa corridor
The Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB) was among the summit's major partners, alongside DHL Express and Peach Payments. This is no coincidence: Mauritius has played the role of financial bridge between India and Africa for decades, thanks to its tax framework, double taxation avoidance treaties, and institutional stability. In May 2026, MCB had announced a USD 1 billion envelope to support African trade and the continent's economic transformation.
Health, AI, fintech and climate tech at the heart of discussions
The summit explored investment opportunities across four priority sectors: healthcare, artificial intelligence, fintech, and climate technologies. Ethiopis Tafara, IFC Regional Vice President for Africa, opened the proceedings by stressing the key role of private capital in transforming African markets.
We are building a robust bilateral investment corridor to facilitate cross-border capital flows between the two regions. — IAEF 2026 organisers
Why it matters
India is already the largest trading partner of East Africa and one of the top investors in Mauritius. This summit consolidates a major geostrategic axis. For Reunion and Mauritian businesses, this corridor offers a lever to access Indian capital — and the 1.4 billion consumers of the subcontinent.
Sources: Platform Africa, India-Africa Entrepreneurship Forum — July 2026