AfDB-Mauritius Partnership

Train in Port Louis, Mauritius. Through 2018, AfDB will be supporting Mauritius’ goal of transitioning to high-income status and will be focusing support on infrastructure and public-private partnership development. Photo by: Sébastien Amiet /CC BY

Since gaining its independence from the United Kingdom in 1968, Mauritius has made remarkable strides in improving its political, economic and social situation. From a low-income country, it has successfully moved up to upper-middle-income status.

Economic growth has slowed in recent years, however, mainly because its small and isolated market depended largely on trade with the European Union and India; the weak economic climate in the EU led to reduced imports from the small island nation. The education and skills mismatch has resulted in higher unemployment levels as well.

In its quest to transition to a high-income country by 2025, Mauritius has drafted a 10-year Economic and Social Transformation Plan and announced a $10 billion infrastructure program to complement reforms meant to improve productivity and innovation capacity. The government has requested the African Development Bank to support Mauritius’ efforts to stimulate economic growth and move up to high-income status as well.