Mauritius

This island nation in the Indian Ocean archipelago has rapidly transformed from one of Africa’s poorest countries at independence from Britain in 1968 to one of the continent’s wealthiest. Once heavily reliant on sugarcane monoculture, Mauritius has diversified its economy and achieved upper middle-income status. Remarkably, Mauritius also briefly reached high-income status in 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic severely damaged the economy, prompting a reversal. Now on the path to full economic recovery, the country’s prosperity is underpinned by thriving sectors such as tourism, financial services, manufacturing, information and communication technology, seafood processing, real estate, and outsourcing. Furthermore, Mauritius’ democratic institutions, strategic location between Africa and Asia, and the bilingualism of its French-English workforce enhance its attractiveness as a business hub.

However, Mauritius continues to face several challenges. With a small domestic market, it heavily depends on Europe and Asia for commercial, economic and political support. The country also relies heavily on imports for food and energy. Inadequate infrastructure, an inefficient regulatory environment, and a lack of skilled workers further stifle economic growth.