From August 18 to 21, 2026, Antananarivo hosted a bilateral economic mission bringing together 91 representatives from Mauritian and Malagasy businesses. This high-level forum, organized in the wake of the mid-August 'Moris Mada Business Connect' summit, produced B2B sessions, company visits, and consultations with trade authorities from both countries. The stated objective: transforming existing trade flows into lasting investments.
Mauritius: Madagascar's second African trade partner
The statistical picture is telling: Mauritius is the second African country to which Madagascar exports its goods. The island directs 13% of its total exports there, primarily in agri-food and fisheries. A trade flow that has not yet translated into genuine economic integration.
Lalaina Randriamasy, Director of External Relations Promotion at Madagascar's Ministry of Trade, stressed the importance of "structuring business relations" to move beyond simple import-export flows. The sectors represented in the delegation illustrate the breadth of potential: agro-industry, agri-food processing, ICT, professional services, education, crafts, renewable energy, hospitality, textiles, essential oils, plastic waste processing, and transit logistics.
The SheTrades Mauritius Hub: 100+ women-led businesses networked
One forum highlight spotlighted the SheTrades Mauritius Hub, an initiative led by Mauritius's Economic Development Board (EDB) since March 2023. This programme targets women-led businesses and now brings together more than 100 enterprises benefiting from training, coaching, business development activities, and access to regional and international trade shows. A model that Malagasy stakeholders viewed with keen interest for potential partnership.
Why this matters
The geographic proximity of Mauritius and Madagascar (less than 900 km apart) contrasts with the weakness of direct investment flows. Yet complementarities are real: Madagascar has a trainable workforce and abundant natural resources; Mauritius brings a robust legal and financial framework, an international financial centre, and global market access. In the AfCFTA context, strengthening this bilateral corridor is strategically smart for both economies — and for the entire western Indian Ocean.
Sources: L'Express Madagascar, NewsMada, AllAfrica — August 19-21, 2026.