Mauritius, USA Fix Dates for US-Africa Business Summit 2026 During CCA’s Visit
From 29 November to 7 December 2025, the President and CEO of the US Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) Florie Liser led a delegation to Mauritius to promote the next 18th US-Africa Business Summit 2026 (#UABS2026). The last edition of the US-Africa Business Summit (#UABS) took place in Angola in June 2026, and following discussions with the Mauritian Government, it has been agreed that the 18th edition of the Summit will take place from 26 to 29 July 2026 in Mauritius.
During her visit, President Liser met with Mauritian PM Navin Ramgoolam. She also met with the Mauritian Foreign Minister Ritesh Ramful and the Mauritian Minister of Financial Services Jyoti Jeetun. Later, she held a joint press conference about the Summit with Mauritian Foreign Minister Ritesh Ramful, Mauritian Minister for Industry & #SME Aadil AMEER MEEA, and US Ambassador in Mauritius Henry Jardine.
CCA VP Jean Boulle was part of the US delegation. It is worth noting that Mr Boulle is of Mauritian origin and has played a significant role in promoting business between Mauritius and Africa. VP Boulle underlined the contribution of Mauritius in lobbying for the advent of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and how Mauritius subsequently leveraged #AGOA for its socio-economic growth. VP Boulle highlighted that Mauritius also serves as the back office of numerous mining operations in Africa.
To date, Morocco is the only African country that enjoys a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the USA. Based on his discussions with the US Department of State, Minister Ramful indicated that Mauritius and Kenya appear to be well-positioned to be next in line.
“Mauritius is honored to host the 2026 US-Africa Business Summit. Our nation has long served as a bridge between Africa and the world, and this Summit reinforces our commitment to advancing strategic partnerships that drive business, investment, and mutually beneficial economic collaboration between the United States and the nations of Africa. We look forward to welcoming global leaders and showcasing the opportunities that Mauritius and Africa have to offer.”
Mauritius PM Navin Ramgoolam
While in Mauritius, President Liser also had the opportunity to interact with key representatives of the private sector in Mauritius at an event organized by Omnicane at its headquarters in Brittania. VPM Paul Berenger also attended the event and exchanged notes with Liser. The CCA also had the opportunity to meet with various stakeholders, including the Economic Development Board of Mauritius (EDBmu) and the Mauritius Finance organization.
Although the theme of the Summit has not been revealed yet, it appears that Mauritius and USA are on the same wavelength with regard to the positioning and promotion of Mauritius as a trade and investment gateway into Africa.
Minister Ramful explained that the theme will bring together ‘the priorities of Africa, the needs of American businesses, and the strategy of Mauritius.’ It is to be recalled that the US-Mauritius Business Summit 2024 (#UMBS2024) also focused on this theme, as the Mauritius International Financial Center (#IFC) is indeed one of the most dynamic and attractive platforms for routing funds and structuring deals across the African continent.
Based on historical data, between 2,500 and 3,000 delegates from Africa and the USA will converge on Mauritius to attend #UABS2026. At the last #UABS in Angola, a dozen African heads of state or government led delegations to the Summit, where more than forty countries were represented.
As per protocol, US President Trump and State Secretary Marco Rubio will be invited, but their presence is not guaranteed and will depend on the significance of the deals to be sealed at the event. Presidential Senior Advisor on Africa Affairs Massad Boulos normally attends. In Angola, #UABS2025 facilitated deals between US and Africa to the tune of USD 4 billion.