PORT LOUIS, June 8 (Reuters) – Foreign direct investment in
Mauritius rose by 15.5 percent in the first three months of 2012
to 1.598 billion rupees ($53.4 million), the central bank said
on Friday.
The country, which markets itself as a bridge between Africa
and Asia, was hit last year by the global downturn that curbed
investment flows, which dropped 32.2 percent to 9.456 billion
rupees.
The central bank said the first quarter investment was
mainly directed towards the real estate sector, attracting 745
million rupees, followed by construction, which got 500 million.
South Africa was the biggest source of foreign direct
investment with 511 million rupees followed by France, which put
in 341 million.
Mauritius is diversifying its economy away from the sugar,
textiles and tourism sectors into offshore banking, business
outsourcing, luxury real estate and medical tourism.
($1 = 29.9000 Mauritius rupees)
(Reporting by Jean Paul Arouff; Editing by Duncan Miriri, John
Stonestreet)
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