The Economic Development Board (EDB) hosted, in collaboration with the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), the University of Mauritius, the University of Technology, Mauritius, and Infosys, a full-day workshop themed “Driving Export Growth in Industry through Digital Transformation, E-Marketing and AI” on September 17 atEbène.
Aimed at supporting the digital transformation of the manufacturing sector, the event brought together 30 manufacturers, industry stakeholders and experts to discuss the role of digital technologies in leading to greater productivity, competitiveness and export readiness.
Minister of Industry, SMEs and Cooperatives, Aadil Ameer Meea, officially unveiled the event and called on a need for an “industrial reset” on the island, with the industrial sector progressively shifting from a labour-intensive model towards a more productive, technology-enabled and higher-value model.
He emphasised that, given Mauritius’ size and cost structure, the country cannot compete solely on scale or low labour costs, where local enterprises must build their competitive advantage around quality, agility, reliability, design, compliance and innovation. At the same time, there is a need to leverage digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence to improve productivity and better serve specialised and premium markets.
Director of Export Promotion and Market Access at the EDB, Mr Geerish Bucktowonsing, has stressed the fact that digital transformation and Artificial Intelligence are increasingly becoming practical tools for local enterprises to enhance productivity, reduce costs, strengthen market intelligence and connect more effectively with international buyers.
He noted that the country already exports around 2,262 products to approximately 140 destinations, demonstrating the breadth of the country’s industrial capabilities and international reach. He stressed, however, that greater emphasis must now be placed on helping implement stronger connections between Mauritius manufacturers and the right buyers in overseas markets.
In context, Bucktowonsing underlined the importance of combining digital visibility, e-marketing, trade intelligence and AI with traditional export promotion approaches to enable enterprises to retain existing markets, diversify into alternative markets and penetrate new ones.
During the workshop, participants were offered practical insights and applications relating to digital transformation, AI in manufacturing, e-marketing and digital export readiness. The workshop also provided a platform for exchanges between industry, academia, technology experts and institutions supporting enterprise development.
The initiative formed part of the EDB’s ongoing efforts to equip enterprises with the necessary tools and capabilities required, suiting to an increasingly digital and competitive global business environment, while strengthening their ability to access and grow in international markets.
