Mauritius Trade Pact

The United States and Mauritius signed a trade agreement on Sept. 18 to expand business between the two countries. Mauritius, located in the Indian Ocean off Madagascar in Africa, exports textiles and apparel, sugar, processed diamonds, jewelry, canned and frozen fish, and eyewear. Mauritian Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Madan Murlidhar Dulloo said at the signing ceremony that he hoped the framework agreement would eventually lead to a bilateral free-trade pact. Two-way trade between the United States and Mauritius totaled $252.7 million in 2005.