On August 25, 2026, the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) and the EU delegation in Port-Louis met to advance the implementation of the extended services EPA — the first trade deal of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa. A regional business forum is now firmly in the pipeline.
Sub-Saharan Africa's First Services Trade Agreement
Concluded in June 2026, the EU-ESA5 Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) brings together five East and Southern African nations: the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Zimbabwe. It is the first trade agreement covering services and investment concluded in Sub-Saharan Africa, going far beyond the goods-only scope of classic EPAs.
The agreement spans four key areas: commercial services, investment liberalization, digital trade and public procurement. It aims to support local transformation and industrial development while opening access to the 450 million consumers of the European single market.
MCCI and EU Coordinate Implementation
The August 25 meeting at the EU delegation headquarters in Port-Louis brought together Oskar Benedikt, EU Ambassador to Mauritius and Seychelles, and Drishtysingh Ramdenee, Secretary General of the MCCI. Both parties underlined « the importance of maintaining regular dialogue with the business community » to identify practical obstacles and promising sectors for regional operators.
The next concrete step: organizing an EU-ESA5 Regional Business Forum, bringing together companies, investors and decision-makers from Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar, Comoros and Zimbabwe. The objective is to map out the commercial and investment opportunities unlocked by the EPA — and to help regional economic actors position themselves early.
An Evolving, Open Agreement
The EPA was designed to remain open: it is « open to other ESA states that wish to join when they are ready, » according to the joint declaration signed in June 2026 by European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič and the five member-nation ministers. Signature and ratification procedures are now underway in each country according to their domestic processes.
Mauritius plays a driving role: as the region's financial and services hub, the island is naturally positioned to attract the first dividends of liberalization. The MCCI intends to rally regional businesses to seize opportunities even before final ratification is complete.
Why It Matters
For Indian Ocean businesses, this EPA is not just another agreement — it is the gateway to the world's most integrated single market. The liberalization of services and investment could allow Mauritius, Seychelles and their partners to capture capital flows and contracts previously excluded from standard agreements. Entrepreneurs who position themselves now — before final ratification — will have a first-mover advantage in the European market.
Sources: allAfrica / L'Express Maurice (August 28, 2026), EEAS / EU Delegation to Mauritius (June 2026), Témoignages.re.