yandraduth googoolye : how african countries can play an active role in the belt and road initiative remarks by mr yandraduth googoolye, governor of the bank of mauritius, at the financial connectivity thematic forum on " how african countries can play an active role in the belt and road initiative ", beijing, 25 april 2019. * * * excellencies good morning and thank you for giving me the opportunity to address such an eminent audience. last october, at the official opening of the belt and road international financial exchange and cooperation seminar organised by the bank of china, i had stressed on africa ’ s eagerness to be part of china ’ s vision to enhance cooperation and connectivity among countries that will be part of the belt and road initiative. africa is endowed with considerable human capital, millions of acres of arable land and a myriad of natural resources. therefore, ladies and gentlemen, the combination of china ’ s capital, technology, market, enterprises, talents and experiences and africa ’ s abundant resources, huge demographic dividend and great market potential should create economic wonders. testimony to africa ’ s willingness to support the belt and road initiative is member states of the african union endorsement of “ agenda 2063 : the africa we want ”, a roadmap for structural economic transformation over a fifty - year time scale. whilst the initiative will undoubtedly enable a smooth flow of goods and services against efficient mechanisms of payment flows, africa must also see to it that adequate and timely resources are geared towards the modernization of financial market infrastructures as well as to the opening and promotion of free trade areas. these will be instrumental in supporting the expansion of the trade corridor between china and africa and in upholding cross - border e - commerce. ladies and gentlemen, a key target of the initiative rests on financial integration and cooperation. besides enhancing financial regulation cooperation, it will increase the scope and scale of bilateral currency swaps and settlements as well as the issuance of bonds in chinese yuan. it is, therefore, to the advantage of countries across africa to encourage commercial equity investment funds and private funds to participate fully in the construction of key projects stemming from the belt and road initiative. the initiative will also push forth an additional currency of choice and set the rmb among the reserve currencies for african countries. a currency that can be used, not only for trade between africa and china, but also for intra - african commercial flows. african central banks and other regulatory entities must fully embrace the crucial

rundheersing bheenick : becalmed – but still on course welcome address by mr rundheersing bheenick, governor of the bank of mauritius and vice - chairman of the association of african central banks ( aacb ), at the opening ceremony of the 2013 symposium of governors preceding the 37th assembly of governors of the aacb, balaclava, mauritius, 22 august 2013. * * * it is an immense privilege for me to welcome you all today on the occasion of this symposium on financial inclusion on the eve of the 37th assembly of the aacb – the association of african central banks. this is an historic occasion both for mauritius and for the bank of mauritius. we are hosting the assembly meeting and the symposium of the association for the first time in the history of our small island - state. there are indeed many firsts : this is the very first time the aacb is meeting off - shore – away from the african mainland. it is the first time that aacb annual meetings are witnessing such a record attendance ; and also the first time that we are having in our midst the general manager of the bank for international settlements, the president of the african development bank, and the secretary - general of the islamic financial services board. we have all of africa here, and when we include the flagship institution of the g - 20, we have almost all the world represented under one roof, bearing testimony to the growing interest in the happenings on this great continent. and from africa itself – just to give you an indication of the representation − from north africa we have our chairman, governor laksaci of algeria ; from the west we have governor sanusi of nigeria ; from central africa, we have governor nchama of banque des etats de l ’ afrique centrale ; from the east we have governor mutebile of uganda, and from the south we have governor marcus of south africa – a grand total of 32 governors and heads of central bank delegations representing 44 countries. i welcome you all here today. i wish the meeting great success and hope your stay here will be fruitful and worthwhile for you all. we are here to discuss what is emerging from the g20 financial inclusion action plan to improve the livelihoods of the poor, and to support micro small and medium enterprises, the engines of economic growth and job creation – in much of the world, and not just in africa. at the time governors decided upon the theme of