On 23rd May 2025, the Economic Development Board (EDB) of Mauritius had the honour of welcoming His Excellency Lanang Seputro, Head of Mission of the Republic of Indonesia for Mauritius, on a courtesy visit to Mr. Mahen Kundasamy, Chief Executive Officer of the EDB. He was accompanied by Mr. Salim G. Joonas, G.O.S.K., Honorary Consul of Indonesia in Mauritius, and Dr. Ahmed S. Badrais, Vice President of Ameerah Al Mubarakah Sdn Bhd. The meeting provided a valuable opportunity to reaffirm the cordial relations between Mauritius and Indonesia and to explore avenues for enhanced economic cooperation.
In welcoming His Excellency, the CEO of the EDB reaffirmed Mauritius’ openness to international partnerships and expressed the organisation’s readiness to support initiatives that advance mutual economic interests. His Excellency, in turn, conveyed Indonesia’s intent to deepen its collaboration with Mauritius and welcomed the prospect of future engagements aimed at translating the shared vision into tangible outcomes.
Mr. Kundasamy underscored the unique positioning of Mauritius as a strategic gateway to Africa, highlighting how this vision aligns with the broader political ambition embedded in the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which outlines the continent’s long-term socio-economic transformation under the theme “The Africa We Want.” He noted the remarkable progress Africa has made over the past decade in areas such as infrastructure development, digital innovation, and regional integration. Mr. Kundasamy also emphasized the significance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which creates a single market of over 1.4 billion people and marks a major step toward boosting intra-African trade and economic self-reliance.
With the country’s political stability, sound governance, investor-friendly environment, and expanding network of bilateral and multilateral agreements, Mauritius is ideally positioned to serve as a launchpad for Indonesian businesses aiming to access and benefit from these emerging opportunities across the African continent.
The CEO of the EDB also emphasised Mauritius commitment to broadening its identity beyond that of an island state, but as a forward-looking ocean state, capitalising on its vast Exclusive Economic Zone of 2.3 million km² to develop its blue economy and untapped resources, while fostering sustainable development and enhancing regional collaboration. Indonesian businesses and stakeholders are well-positioned to become valuable partners in this vision, bringing expertise and investment to jointly harness the opportunities within the blue economy.
Discussions further explored investment opportunities across various sectors, including manufacturing, agribusiness, smart cities, real estate development, banking and tourism. Mauritius’ strong commitment to environmental sustainability, coupled with its determination to accelerate the transition to renewable energy and the development of intelligent and green buildings, was also highlighted as key areas for potential collaboration.
Dr. Ahmed S. Badrais noted that the sectors highlighted during the discussions align closely with the core competencies of Ameerah Al Mubarakah Sdn Bhd. He expressed that, should the opportunity arise, the organisation would welcome the chance to contribute meaningfully to the successful realisation of these projects by leveraging its expertise and experience.
The Honorary Consul, Mr. Salim G. Joonas, encouraged the EDB to organise focused promotional missions in Indonesia to showcase the full range of opportunities Mauritius has to offer Indonesian businesses. He emphasised that the country’s well-developed infrastructures, enabling environment for business, extensive network of trade agreements, and strategic advantages together create a compelling platform for Indonesian companies aiming to deepen their commercial engagement with Africa.
In conclusion, H.E. Lanang Seputro reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening ties with Mauritius, acknowledging its strategic role and development ambitions. As a G20 economy, Indonesia is keen to support Mauritius with investment and expertise, particularly in the blue economy, smart cities, and renewable technologies.
This visit marks a meaningful step toward reinforcing diplomatic and economic ties between Mauritius and the Republic of Indonesia, anchored in a shared commitment to inclusive growth, regional integration, and shared sustainable development.
