Mauritius is today considered the most innovative African country by the Global Innovation Index while having the most favorable business climate on the continent, according to the World Bank’s “Doing Business” report. This is what emerges from an article published by Forbes Africa in its January 2024 edition.
According to the magazine, a small Island state in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius has skillfully adjusted its public policies over the past decades to adapt to a changing economic context. Determined to move away from the historic monoculture of sugar cane, the country has been able to invest in education and research to successfully establish itself in the manufacturing and financial sectors, which are today the main export centers and income.
Forbes Africa also in November 2023 ranked Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, as the eighth best in Africa out of a list of 231 cities.
The article cites the following information: “A sign of the times and their development, nearly forty African cities have joined the Mercer firm’s 2019 ranking of o-cities. I love to live. And for the third year in a row, Port-Louis takes the prize. Continental champion, the Mauritian capital occupies 83rd place in this ranking, which reviews the attractiveness of 231 cities around the world taking into account criteria such as socio-cultural environment, public and transport services, medical situation, provision of accommodation and entertainment, quality of education and personal safety. The only African city to appear in the ranking in terms of infrastructure (94th place in the world), Port-Louis also stands out as the safest on the continent (59th place in the world). »
The highest Human Index in Africa
The article continues: “Nerve center of a State whose GDP per capita is the second in Africa (more than 8,600 dollars, compared to 1,500 dollars on average for the rest of Africa) and the development of the Human index, the highest, “Porlwi” naturally concentrates all the economic and administrative activities of Mauritius, which remains a privileged destination for foreign direct investments. In addition to its dynamism, the city can boast of multiple assets: openness to the ocean, pleasant temperatures all year round, numerous historical and cultural treasures, a beautifully landscaped seafront, and a diverse abundance of Creole houses, buildings, colonial remains and museums which have earned it a reputation as a “little gem”.
About the Global Innovation Index
Developed by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the European Institute of Business Administration (Insead) and the American University of Cornell, the Global Innovation Index ranks each year the countries of the world based on their ability to make the most of innovation.
