Can the Mauritian Miracle continue? - The role of financial and ICT services as prospective growth drivers

This paper presents the prospective sectors for further economic growth in Mauritius. We approach this by firstly tracing the historical development of Mauritius and providing explanations for the growth experienced. This is used as the basis for the analysis of the country’s current economic situation from which we infer that future growth may not be as promising as the historical growth path, thereby, implying that there may be a real threat of the ‘middle income trap’. However, through the analysis of the current situation two potential strategic growth sectors are identified: financial intermediation and information and communications technology. These two sectors are presented with their main components and their present and prospective contribution to economic growth in Mauritius is explored. Our conclusion from the discussion presented is that, although, the growth prospects are clear for the two identified sectors, their impact might be limited and the hindrance to further economic growth may extend beyond these two strategic sectors. Ultimately, it is the continued current account deficit and key structural problems which can severely impact the sustainable growth of the island state.