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Rural poverty approaches, policies & strategies in Mauritius

As Mauritius confronts the negative impact on its economy of a loss of the multifibre preferential trade agreements, high oil prices and a the phasing out of the sugar price subsidies, the government has begun to implement a series of reforms with the aim of redirecting and rebuilding the economy for renewed and sustainable growth.

The challenges are to increase global competitiveness, to lower unemployment rates and to foster broader social development while preserving and protecting the environment. These objectives are addressed in the government's New Economic Agenda, first implemented in 2003.

The government's National Action Plan for Poverty Alleviation gives priority to the democratisation of economic growth, setting up pro-poor policies and pro-poor planning in the sectors of the economy touched by the reforms, in order to lift vulnerable communities out of poverty in a sustainable manner. The focus of the government’s poverty reduction strategy is diversifying the economy to achieve strong and sustained growth. Other strategic measures include strengthening the education system (in particular supporting vocational training in order to re-skill retrenched textile workers and sugar cane planters), attracting foreign investment, stimulating the development of tourism, and providing regional financial services and targeted investment for poverty reduction, including support for micro enterprises and microfinance institutions.

Source: IFAD