Business updates

The Guest Speaker at the 27^th Annual Dinner of the MCCI, Ms. Arancha Gonzalez, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, expressed the wish that  SMEs benefit from a business friendly environment so as be able to consolidate their presence on the international scene. The theme of her speech was ‘Making trade work for inclusive growth and jobs”.

During her address, she said that if  Mauritius wants  to maintain it's competitive edge there will be a need to continue to invest in SMEs and help them move up the value chain. She referred to the National Export Strategy Blueprint which was launched on 31 March by the Prime Minister and said that it is a compass for Mauritian businesses, the government and investors to diversify their goods and services and enter new international markets. The strategy aims to help boost the export capacities of the country’s private sector and step up its trade with regional and global markets.

Ms. Arancha González expressed interest to assist Mauritius into helping the SMEs upgrade their quality and move upmarket so as to enable them to be part of the international trade chain which she said will eventually help transform the economy with the creation of high quality and better paid jobs in Mauritius.

Another area which was raised pertained to the diversification of trade and markets and an accelerated pace to put in place the plan to internationalise the SMEs in view of transforming Mauritius into an international centre for trade and commerce.

‘The key is now to move from formulation to implementation. Fully operationalizing the NES will require a “one- Mauritius” team approach,’ She added.

The Annual Dinner was attended by the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Hon Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, members of the cabinet, members of the diplomatic corps and captains of industry.

The speech of Ms. Arancha Gonzalez can be accessed here.