Edits & Curated
By
Vishal Bhidu
Statistics Mauritius has spearheaded a comprehensive enhancement of its National Accounts with a view to offer a more complete, accurate and global representation of the local economy with three main changes namely: establishing 2023 as the new benchmark year, replacing 2018, based on the results of the 2023 Census of Economic Activities, the 2023 Household Budget Survey, the 2024 Census of Agriculture and strengthened administrative data sources; implementing the 2025 System of National Accounts (2025 SNA) in a phased manner, with full implementation targeted by 2029; and improving coverage and classification of Global Business Companies (GBCs), including GBCs involved in merchanting and trading activities, in line with the recommendations of different International Monetary Fund (IMF) technical assistances.
The Cabinet meeting held on October 2 and chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Navin Chandra Ramgoolam took note that, in line with such changes, the GDP level has witnessed an increase of Rd 58 billion, and it plans to undertake a new Census of Economic Activities in 2028, with the recommended five-year cycle.
The jurisdiction has also improved its ranking in Global Innovation Index (GII) 2026 from 53rd position in 2025 to 50th position out of 139 countries and economies, while retaining its leading spot in the Sub-Saharan Africa, together with improving by one place, from 6th to be ranked 5th among the upper-middle-income countries, with the document released on September 29, themed, “Powering Entrepreneurs at the Frontier of Science”.
Among key Cabinet highlights, note was also taken of the National Action Plan developed following the Second Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment of the Non-Profit Organisation Sector in Mauritius. The National Action Plan, which covers the period of February 2026-June 2029, aims to address focused areas such as:
- Enhancing coordination and collaboration among Non-Profit Organisation Regulators and with relevant Competent Authorities
- Enhancing risk understanding among relevant Competent Authorities
- Enhancing the Legislative and Regulatory Framework
- Mitigating unintended consequences
- Self-regulatory measures and internal controls; risk-based oversight/monitoring of Non-Profit Organisations
- Countering the Financing of Terrorism Supervision
- Enhancing Countering the Financing of Terrorism Knowledge of relevant Competent Authorities.
The Cabinet also took note of the outcome of the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment of Legal Persons and Legal Arrangements in Mauritius as well as the launching of the public version of the consolidated Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment of Legal Persons and Legal Arrangements. The risk assessment aims to map the different types of Legal Persons and Le Legal Arrangements and identify their key characteristics; identify and assess the overall Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing threats associated with Legal Persons and Legal Arrangements; assess the entity Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing risks of different types of Legal Persons and Legal Arrangements; and assess the jurisdiction’s overall vulnerability to the misuse of Legal Persons and Legal Arrangements for Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing purposes.
Discussions were also held on the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Republic of Mauritius and the Gabinete de Informação Financeira de Moçambique (GiFiM) of the Republic of Mozambique. The agreement strives to foster the exchange of financial intelligence relating to suspected money laundering, associated predicate offences and terrorism financing and proliferation financing between Mauritius and Mozambique.
Moreover, the second meeting of the India-Mauritius High Powered Joint Trade Committee under the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement, initially slated to take place from October 7-9 has been postponed at the request of the Indian side, to be rescheduled on mutually agreed dates.
The Cabinet has been apprised that the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers has, inter-sessionally, approved Mauritius’s appointment as Vice-Chair of IORA until October 2027.
The IORA Council of Ministers has also endorsed the appointment of Mauritius for the following positions until October 2027:
- Coordinating Country of the Academic, Science and Technology Cooperation priority area
- Coordinating Country for China, an IORA Dialogue Partner
- Chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Academic Group
- Chair of the Working Group on Science, Technology and Innovation; and Chair of the Core Group on Tourism
