The UAE signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Mauritius on Monday, with the pact expected to boost both economies by removing tariffs and increasing market access.
The terms for the agreement were concluded in December and it marks the UAE’s first Cepa signed with an African country, the government said in a statement.
Under the deal, Mauritius will remove 99 per cent of tariffs on imports from the UAE, while the Emirates will eliminate 97 per cent of its fees.
It is expected to boost the UAE's GDP by 0.96 per cent, while adding more than 1 per cent to the economy of Mauritius by 2030, officials said.
The agreement "reflects our shared vision and dedication to improving bilateral relations, promoting economic growth, and generating a wealth of opportunities for our peoples", said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
The two countries are deepening trade and investment ties – non-oil trade rose 82.5 per cent annually to $76 million from January to April, according to official data.
In 2023, two-way trade reached $170.4 million, up 14.5 per cent compared to 2022.
"By eliminating or reducing tariffs, removing barriers to trade and enhancing market access, we will push our bilateral non-oil trade beyond $500 million within five years," said Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade.
The UAE is currently the eighth-largest investor in Mauritius, with $13.2 billion invested in the country, supporting projects in tourism, real estate, renewable energy and technology.
The Cepa is hoped to further "deepen trade and investment ties, accelerate growth in priority industries, create jobs, strengthen supply chains and streamline market access for UAE and Mauritian businesses", the statement said.
"This agreement is not just about eliminating barriers to trade in goods and services; it is about fostering a deeper understanding and partnership that will benefit both our economies and our people and the wider Gulf region and Africa," said Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Mauritius.
"The UAE is an important partner in facilitating the free flow of global trade and investment, fostering international co-operation and maintaining regional stability."
The Emirates is seeking to expand trade with partners as it pursues its target of Dh4 trillion ($1.1 trillion) in non-oil foreign trade and increasing its exports to Dh800 billion by 2031.
Last year, the country's non-oil trade in goods reached an all-time high of $701 billion, a 12.6 per cent annual increase.
To further grow its trade, the UAE aims to sign 26 Cepas. While deals have been signed with India, Turkey, Israel, Indonesia, Cambodia and Georgia, talks are under way with Serbia, Vietnam, the Philippines, New Zealand and Ecuador.
Overall, Cepas are expected to add about 2.6 per cent to the UAE's economy by 2030, Dr Al Thani previously said.
The deal with Mauritius is particularly expected to support energy and infrastructure investments, said Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure.
“The agreement will drive both countries’ energy landscapes, especially as Mauritius has an ambitious clean energy programme that seeks to increase the contribution of renewable energy to 60 per cent of the country’s electricity mix by 2030, with a focus on several energy sources including solar, wind, biomass, hydro, and waste-to-energy.”
Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, added that the deal will open up new opportunities for the UAE’s private sector.
The Mauritian economy is "one of the most promising" in Africa, posting an 8.5 per cent growth in GDP in 2022 – its fastest in 35 years, he said.
"It also has a dynamic industrial sector, with textiles and light engineering playing an important role in its ongoing economic health," Dr Al Jaber said.
“The potential for collaboration with our own industrialists and investors is significant, both in terms of supplying the Mauritian economy with the materials and resources it needs and in helping to develop their industrial base."
Abdulla bin Touq, Minister of Economy, said Mauritius is a rapidly growing economy that serves as an important gateway into Africa.
“It’s clear that greater economic integration between our nations will reap considerable rewards for us both. Our Cepa will enhance the flow of goods and services between the Gulf and Africa, create new market opportunities for our exporters, and increase investment into priority sectors such as logistics, manufacturing, tourism, and financial and professional services," he said.
"We look forward to fully realising the benefits of this deal in the months and weeks ahead.”
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• The National announces Future of News journalism competition
• Round up: Experts share their visions of the world to come
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Sara El Bakkali v Anisha Kadka (Lightweight, female)
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7pm: Shadwell Farm for Private Owners Handicap | Dh70,000 | 2,200m
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek independent legal advice.
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Defence review at a glance
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Gertrude Bell's life in focus
A feature film
At one point, two feature films were in the works, but only German director Werner Herzog’s project starring Nicole Kidman would be made. While there were high hopes he would do a worthy job of directing the biopic, when Queen of the Desert arrived in 2015 it was a disappointment. Critics panned the film, in which Herzog largely glossed over Bell’s political work in favour of her ill-fated romances.
A documentary
A project that did do justice to Bell arrived the next year: Sabine Krayenbuhl and Zeva Oelbaum’s Letters from Baghdad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Gertrude Bell. Drawing on more than 1,000 pieces of archival footage, 1,700 documents and 1,600 letters, the filmmakers painstakingly pieced together a compelling narrative that managed to convey both the depth of Bell’s experience and her tortured love life.
Books, letters and archives
Two biographies have been written about Bell, and both are worth reading: Georgina Howell’s 2006 book Queen of the Desert and Janet Wallach’s 1996 effort Desert Queen. Bell published several books documenting her travels and there are also several volumes of her letters, although they are hard to find in print. Original documents are housed at the Gertrude Bell Archive at the University of Newcastle, which has an online catalogue.
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What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
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• The National announces Future of News journalism competition
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Bio
Born in Dubai in 1994
Her father is a retired Emirati police officer and her mother is originally from Kuwait
She Graduated from the American University of Sharjah in 2015 and is currently working on her Masters in Communication from the University of Sharjah.
Her favourite film is Pacific Rim, directed by Guillermo del Toro
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Our commentary on Brexit
- Alistair Burt: Despite Brexit, Britain can remain a world power
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Bio
Age: 25
Town: Al Diqdaqah – Ras Al Khaimah
Education: Bachelors degree in mechanical engineering
Favourite colour: White
Favourite place in the UAE: Downtown Dubai
Favourite book: A Life in Administration by Ghazi Al Gosaibi.
First owned baking book: How to Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson.
Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
The biog
Favourite Emirati dish: Fish machboos
Favourite spice: Cumin
Family: mother, three sisters, three brothers and a two-year-old daughter
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative
