Mauritius launches National Export Strategy

(Port Louis/Geneva) - The Government of Mauritius today launched its National Export Strategy (NES) at a ceremony in Port Louis. The strategy aims to help boost the export capacities of the country’s private sector and step up its trade with regional and global markets.

The National Export Strategy will serve as a blueprint for the Government, the private sector and Mauritius' development partners to help the country’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) improve their competitiveness and generate higher-value jobs. These will guide Mauritius’ effort to reinvigorate inclusive and sustainable growth through trade.

The launch in Port Louis comes after a series of multi-stakeholder consultations led by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection in collaboration with Enterprise Mauritius. Throughout the process, the International Trade Centre (ITC) has provided technical support to the process.

Announcing the strategy Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth said: ‘The National Export Strategy comes at an opportune time and will force us to sharpen our efforts to revamp the manufacturing base and to drive exports through seven priority sectors. It gives a special attention to Rodrigues, aiming to better understand the island’s trade opportunities and challenges. It formulates a specific strategic vision and roadmap for key sectors with export potential.’

‘The Government will, in formulating its policies for the export sector, take into consideration the recommendations embodied in the strategy document with a view to boosting that sector, in its role as one of the main drivers of economic growth,’ Jugnauth said.

'For Mauritius to maintain it's competitive edge there will be a need to continue to invest in SMEs and help them move up the value chain,’ said ITC Executive Director Arancha González. 'The National Export Strategy is a compass for Mauritian businesses, the government and investors to diversify their goods and services and enter new international markets.’

The National Export Strategy identifies seven sectors with high potential for export growth, employment generation and innovation: agro-processed foods; fisheries and aquaculture; medical devices; jewellery; financial services; software development and; cultural tourism. These are aligned to the priorities outlined in the Government’s ‘Vision 2030’.

The National Export Strategy also aims to tackle economy-wide constraints for trade growth and in response sets out five key cross-sector focus areas that will support export development and competitiveness: the internationalization of SMEs; skills development; innovation; branding and institutional alignment.

Welcoming the strategy Minister of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection Ashit Kumar Gungah said: ‘Indeed, the economic development of Mauritius has to be given a new thrust in the context of global challenges characterized mainly by competition from low-cost countries, elimination of trade preferences and post-Brexit threats. I am confident that the Mauritius National Export Strategy will not only provide the necessary catalyst but will also be the harbinger of a new vision for our export strategy.’

Ms. González said: ‘The key is now to move from formulation to implementation. Fully operationalizing the NES will require a “one- Mauritius” team approach.’

To learn more about ITC’s work on National Export Strategies, please visit: 

www.intracen.org/itc/trade-support/national-export-strategy-design

About ITC
ITC is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the United Nations’ Global Goals for Sustainable Development. For more information, visit www.intracen.org. Follow ITC on Twitter: @ITCnews

For more information, please contact

International Trade Centre
Jarle Hetland
Media Officer
Office of the Executive Director
P: +41 22 730 0145
M: +41 79 582 9180
E: hetland [at] intracen.org (hetland[at]intracen[dot]org)

Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection
Yousuf Salehmohamed
NES Navigator
P: +230 5250 9192
E: genuine [at] intnet.mu (genuine[at]intnet[dot]mu)