APA - Port Louis (Mauritius) Mauritius will host the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Infrastructure Fund following a decision of the managing committee of this regional organization, APA learns in the Mauritian capital Port Louis on Saturday.

Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Rama Sithanen who announced the news here declared that the decision is a proof of the trust that COMESA has in Mauritius.

Sithanen added that the Fund has been instituted for the development of infrastructures in member countries.

Meanwhile, Sithanen further disclosed that apart from the COMESA Fund, the Africa Regional Technical Centre (AFRITAC) south has also chosen the island to establish its headquarters.

The Finance Minister declared that AFRITAC is an organization that operates under the aegis of the International Monetary Fund.

The minister observed that the primary objective of the organization is to help countries of the region in the training of people in the management of financial resources.

Both English and French will be the official languages which the organization will use, said Sithanen. He noted that Botswana was also a candidate to host AFRITAC.

The minister further pointed out that that Mauritius will also be the seat of the Regional Multidisciplinary Centre of Excellence (RMCE) which is being set up by the World Bank.

RMCE will aim at promoting the exchange of knowledge and experience in different fields, he added. The minister also disclosed that the government is still holding talks with the Chinese government to have the Export and Import (EXIM) Bank of China in Mauritius.

He added that the institution will be able to use Mauritius as a spring board to expand its activities in mainland Africa.