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 Mauritius |  United States |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Embassy of the United States, Port Louis | Embassy of Mauritius, Washington, D.C. |
Mauritius – United States relations arebilateral relations betweenMauritius and theUnited States.
Official U.S. representation in Mauritius dates from the end of the 18th century. An Americanconsulate was established in 1794 and was closed in 1911. It was reopened in 1967 and elevated toembassy status upon Mauritius' independence in 1968. Since 1970, the mission has been directed by a resident U.S. ambassador. There is a U.S. Embassy inPort Louis, Mauritius.
Relations between the United States[1][permanent dead link] and Mauritius are cordial and largely revolve around trade. The United States is Mauritius’ third-largest market but ranks 12th in terms of exports to Mauritius. Principal imports from the U.S. includeaircraft parts (forAir Mauritius), automatic data processing machines,diamonds,jewelry, radio/TV transmission apparatus,telecommunications equipment, agricultural/construction/industrial machinery and equipment, casinoslot machines,outboard motors, books and encyclopedias, and industrial chemicals.
Mauritian exports to the U.S. includeapparel,sugar, non-industrial diamonds, jewelry articles, live animals,sunglasses, rum, andcut flowers. Mauritian products that meet the rules of origin are eligible for duty- and quota-free entry in the U.S. market under theAfrican Growth and Opportunity Act. In September 2006, the Governments of Mauritius and the United States signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement to remove impediments and further enhance trade and investment relations between the two countries.
More than 200 U.S. companies are represented in Mauritius. About 30 have offices in Mauritius, serving the domestic and/or the regional market, mainly in theinformation technology (IT),textile,fast food, express courier, andfinancial services sectors. The largest U.S. subsidiaries areCaltex Oil Mauritius andEsso Mauritius. U.S. brands are sold widely. Several U.S. franchises, notablyKentucky Fried Chicken,Pizza Hut, andMcDonald's have been operating for a number of years in Mauritius.
The United States funds a small military assistance program. The embassy also managesspecial self-help funds for community groups and nongovernmental organizations and a democracy and human rights fund.
In 2002, Mauritius recalled its Ambassador to the United Nations for not conveying his government's stance in the Security Council debate over how to disarm Iraq.[1]
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials include:
Before Mauritius gain its independence, theChagos Archipelago was detached from Mauritius and formedBritish Indian Ocean Territory. The UKexpelled inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago in 1968 at the request of US and amilitary base was leased to US.
The ongoingsovereignty dispute between Mauritius and UK has resulted in an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, endorsed by the UN general assembly, that found the UK's claim to the archipelago breached international law.[2] However, the US does not recognise Mauritius' claim to the full Chagos Archipelago, voting against any claim made within the United Nations.
In an attempt to bypass UK and negotiate with US directly, Mauritius has offered US a 99-year lease ofDiego Garcia island. Offering the lease to US was widely supported by Mauritian citizens.[3]
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromU.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets.United States Department of State.
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