Mauritius Holds $35.9 Billion Net Foreign Asset Position at June 2026
The Bank of Mauritius reports the island owns more abroad than it owes, with net foreign assets reaching Rs 1,707 billion at end-June 2026.
The Bank of Mauritius (BoM), the country's central bank, published its International Investment Position (IIP) report on Friday 23 October 2026, revealing that Mauritius holds a positive net foreign asset position of Rs 1,707 billion, equivalent to approximately 35.9 billion US dollars, as of the end of June 2026.
The IIP is essentially a national balance sheet that measures everything a country owns abroad against everything it owes to foreign investors. Think of it like a household's net worth: total assets minus total debts. A positive figure means the country is, overall, a net creditor to the rest of the world.
At the end of June 2026, Mauritius held total foreign assets of Rs 27,028 billion (568.6 billion USD) against total foreign liabilities of Rs 25,321 billion (532.7 billion USD), producing that net surplus of Rs 1,707 billion.
Those figures may look enormous for an island of roughly 1.3 million people, and there is a clear explanation: the Global Business Companies sector, widely known as the GBC sector or offshore sector. These are internationally registered companies that use Mauritius as a financial and legal hub to channel investment flows, particularly between Africa, Asia and Europe. They hold vast sums of assets and liabilities on their books that technically count within Mauritius's national statistics, even though the money does not circulate in the local economy in the traditional sense.
What this means: For ordinary Mauritians, the IIP figures do not directly translate into everyday wealth. The headline numbers are dominated by the offshore financial sector rather than the domestic economy. However, a strong positive IIP position does signal that Mauritius remains an attractive and stable international financial centre. It also means the country, as a whole, is less vulnerable to sudden reversals driven by foreign debt, which is a reassuring sign for investors, credit rating agencies and international institutions that assess country risk. The BoM publishes this data regularly as part of its commitment to transparency under International Monetary Fund standards.
Source: ION News
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mauritius's net foreign asset position as of June 2026?β
According to the Bank of Mauritius, Mauritius held a net foreign asset position of Rs 1,707 billion, or approximately 35.9 billion US dollars, at the end of June 2026. This means the country's total assets held abroad exceeded its total liabilities owed to foreign investors by that amount.
Why does Mauritius have such large foreign asset and liability figures relative to its size?β
The figures are driven largely by the Global Business Companies (GBC) sector, Mauritius's offshore financial industry. GBC entities use Mauritius as a legal and financial hub to route international investments, particularly across Africa and Asia. Their assets and liabilities are included in national statistics, inflating the totals well beyond what the domestic economy alone would generate.
What is the International Investment Position (IIP) and why does it matter?β
The IIP is a statistical report published by the Bank of Mauritius that shows the total value of financial assets Mauritius residents and institutions hold abroad versus the total financial claims foreign investors hold on Mauritius. A positive net IIP suggests the country is a net creditor internationally, which is generally viewed as a sign of financial stability by credit rating agencies and the International Monetary Fund.
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