Mauritius Finance Minister Clarifies Jurisdiction’s Tax Status

The Minister of Financial Services and Economic Development of Mauritius, Jyoti Jeetun, explained that the island should be viewed as a low‑tax jurisdiction rather than a tax haven. She pointed out that while Mauritius has faced isolated incidents in the past, the country has consistently implemented measures to eliminate tax abuses with no recent case reports. Jeetun highlighted the removal of Mauritius from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in 2023 after being placed there in 2020 due to money laundering concerns. The minister emphasised that Mauritian institutions are well established and that 12 agencies collaborate in regulation and supervision. She noted that Mauritius meets almost all 40 FATF requirements and is preparing for a mutual assessment in 2027 to ensure it remains off the grey list. Jeetun also discussed Mauritius’s diplomatic stance, stating that the nation maintains positive relations with both India and China, reflecting the diverse ethnic makeup of its population, which includes significant Indian, Chinese, and Creole communities. Finally, she informed that the High Commissioner of India handed over a fleet of electric buses to the Mauritian government to strengthen bilateral green initiatives.