“Between 1977 and 2009, real GDP grew at 5.1 per cent a year in Mauritius, compared with 3.2 per cent for Sub-Saharan Africa overall. The World Economic Forum ranks Mauritius as the second most competitive country in the region. This sustained growth has been accompanied by a profound structural transformation over time,” it noted.
Many explanations have been offered for the 'Mauritius miracle'. “There is no doubt that the focus on trade and FDI and on using export processing zones to target light manufacturing industries, has been a critical element of success,” it added.