Doing Business in Africa Focus on Mauritius and Seychelles
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www.pwc.com Doing business in Africa Focus on Mauritius and Seychelles November 2015 Agenda Why this seminar? PwC Africa Desk Doing business in Mauritius DoingDoing Business in Africa • Mauritius business and Seychelles in Seychelles 2 PwC November 2015 Why this seminar? PwC 3 Interest in investing in Africa continues to grow rapidly. Need for general as well as specific hands-on information and ability to discuss new developments. Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 4 PwC November 2015 Seminars so far Angola Botswana Ethiopia Kenya Mozambique Namibia Nigeria Rwanda South Africa Tanzania Zambia Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 5 PwC November 2015 PwC Africa Desk PwC 6 The PwC Africa Desk The PwC Africa Desk is part of the International Tax Services team in Johannesburg Created to enhance coordinated tax service delivery across PwC in Africa The Desk is staffed by secondments from various PwC offices across Africa who provide home country contexts Countries represented include Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 7 PwC November 2015 Ways the Africa Desk can support you Tunisia Morocco Algeria Libya Egypt Proactively One-stop MauritaniaMali Niger Sudan informs relevant service Cape Verde Chad Eritrea parties on new Senegal Djibouti Gambia developments Guinea Bissau Burkina Benin Guinea Nigeria South Ethiopia Faso Sudan Sierra Leone Côte Central d’Ivoire African Republic Liberia Togo Somalia Ghana Cameroon Kenya Uganda São Tomé and Príncipe Democratic Gabon Rwanda Because of helicopter Republic Equatorial Guinea of Congo Burundi Congo Seychelles view, identification of Tanzania other cross-country Malawi Comoros Angola Mayotte alternatives Zambia Zimbabwe PwC offices Namibia Reunion For services in these territories Botswana Thought leadership Quick responsesplease contact a neighbouring on territory Mauritius Swaziland through AfriTax general and specific South Lesotho newsletter, One page tax questions Africa summaries per African country, country seminars, etc. Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 8 PwC November 2015 Thought leadership AfriTax newsletter Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 9 PwC November 2015 Thought leadership One page tax summaries Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 10 PwC November 2015 The PwC presence in Africa Tunisia In Africa… Morocco Algeria Libya Egypt • Member firms in 33 countries with over 8,500 professional staff. MauritaniaMali Niger Sudan Chad Eritrea • We have the largest footprint of Cape Verde Senegal Djibouti Gambia professional services on the African Guinea Bissau Burkina Benin Guinea Nigeria South Ethiopia Faso Sudan continent. Sierra Leone Côte Central d’Ivoire African Republic Liberia Togo Somalia Ghana Cameroon Kenya • All our African firms are locally-owned. Uganda São Tomé and Príncipe Democratic Gabon Rwanda Republic Equatorial Guinea of Congo Burundi • Provide a range of professional business Congo Seychelles Tanzania advisory services to the public and private Malawi Comoros sectors throughout the continent. Angola Mayotte Zambia • Committed to the development and PwC offices Zimbabwe prosperity of the African people and Namibia Reunion For services in these territories Botswana economies. please contact a neighbouring territory Mauritius Swaziland South Lesotho Africa Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 11 PwC November 2015 Doing Business in Mauritius PwC Agenda Country context Business vehicles Legal and labour Tax framework Key issues Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 13 PwC Planning November 2015 Country context 1.1. General 1.2 Living and working in Mauritius 1.3 Economy 1.4 Risk factors Doing business in Africa - Mauritius PwC Country context 1.1. General 1.2 Living and working in Mauritius 1.3 Economy 1.4 Risk factors PwC Country context Where is Mauritius? Located approximately 1,100 kilometres to the east of Madagascar, Mauritius is an island of 2,040 km² in area. Mauritius is known for its very nice beaches, multi-cultural population, tropical weather and has often been referred as Paradise Island. Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 16 PwC November 2015 Country context History Discovered by the Arabs in 1502 but named after Dutch Prince Maurice van Nassau who came to Mauritius in 1598. Dutch colonisation from 1638 to 1710 followed by the French who ruled the island from 1710 to 1810. British rule started in 1810 and ended in 1968. Mauritius received independence on March 12, 1968 In 1992, Mauritius became a republic Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 17 PwC November 2015 Country context 1.1. General 1.2 Living and working in Mauritius 1.3 Economy 1.4 Risk factors PwC Country context Living and working in Mauritius • Population is approximately 1.2 million and is culturally diverse • The capital is Port Louis • Companies have their offices spread between the capital and Cybercity in Ebène • The country’s main industries are sugar, textile, tourism and finance • Mauritius is a democracy with separation of powers. • A number of political parties participate in elections, which take place every four years. • The current president is Ameenah Gurib who came into office in June 2015. Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 19 PwC November 2015 Country context Living and working in Mauritius - Infrastructure No.1 in Africa Low political risk Ease of Doing Business [World Bank 2013] [World Bank 2012] Most competitive business environment in Africa [WEF Global Free trade zone MAURITIUS Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Competitiveness Report 2013-2014] and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Bilingual workforce Established banking system including 14 international banks Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 20 PwC November 2015 Country context 1.1 General 1.2 Living and working in Mauritius 1.3 Economy 1.4 Risk factors PwC Country context Economic drivers and indicators Composition of GDP (2015 Q3, % of total) Scientific, Technical Activities and Education 10% Other 25% Public Administration & Defence 7% Transportation and Storage 6% Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing 3% Financial and Insurance Activities 10% Manufacturing 16% Accommodation and Food Services 7% Construction Wholesale and Retail 4% 13% Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 22 PwC November 2015 Country context The investment flows More than 28,000 global business companies and No. of Licensed Global Funds more than 1,000 global 1400 funds 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 23 PwC November 2015 Country context 1.1. General 1.2 Living and working in Mauritius 1.3 Economy 1.4 Risk factors PwC Good opportunities but what are the risk factors? Internal and external Smart City Scheme (“SCS”) The SCS is an ambitious economic development programme aimed at consolidating the Mauritian international business and financial hub by creating ideal conditions for working, living and spurring investment through the development of smart cities across the island. The SCS provides an enabling framework and a package of attractive fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to investors for the development of smart cities across the island. Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 25 PwC November 2015 Good opportunities but what are the risk factors? Internal and external Companies investing in the development of the SCS will be exempt from: • Corporate tax for 8 years • VAT paid on capital goods • Customs duty on import or purchase of any dutiable goods • Land Transfer Tax and Registration Duty on transfer of land to a SPV provided that the transferor holds shares in the SPV equivalent to at least the value of the land transferred • Land Conversion Tax in respect of the land area earmarked for the development of non-residential components • “Morcellement” (i.e. partition) Tax for the subdivision of land Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 26 PwC November 2015 Good opportunities but what are the risk factors? Internal and external Manufacturing sector • The manufacturing sector of Mauritius has evolved into a technology intensive sector and offers various investment opportunities • Mauritius offers a number of benefits to international manufacturing companies to set up production units locally These benefits include: • Preferential market access to the USA through the AGOA; the EU through the partial EPA; and Africa through SADC and COMESA memberships • Competitive factor costs • Modern infrastructure for setting up factories • Modern freeport and logistics facilities Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 27 PwC November 2015 Good opportunities but what are the risk factors? Internal and external • Sea and air connectivity through major shipping lines and airlines, respectively • Highly skilled, adaptable and bilingual work force • Streamlined procedures for the recruitment of expatriates and foreign labour • To give a further impetus to the manufacturing sector, Government has introduced a measure allowing manufacturing factories to set up in the Freeport for the production of goods aimed primarily at the African market Doing Business in Africa • Mauritius and Seychelles 28 PwC November 2015 Good opportunities but what are the risk factors? Internal and external Risk factors • Mauritius, with a population of approx. 1.2 million, might be restricted in terms of