Mauritius: The Drivers of Growth – Can the Past Be Extended? Cover Image

Mauritius: The Drivers of Growth – Can the Past Be Extended?
Mauritius: The Drivers of Growth – Can the Past Be Extended?

Author(s): Katsiaryna Svirydzenka, Martin Petri
Subject(s): National Economy, Public Finances
Published by: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Wydziału Zarządzania Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: Growth; Mauritius; Growth accounting

Summary/Abstract: Mauritius’s economic performance since its independence has been called “the Mauritian miracle” and the “success of Africa” (Romer, 1992; Frankel, 2010; Stiglitz, 2011). However, the future growth potential is more uncertain. In this paper, we use growth accounting to analyze the sources of past growth and project potential ranges of future growth through 2033 under various policies. Growth averaged 4½ percent over the past 20 years. Our baseline suggests future growth rates around 3¼ percent, but growth could reach 4–5 percent with strong pro-active policies including (i) improving investment and savings rates; (ii) improving the efficiency of social spending and public enterprise reforms; (iii) investment in education and education reforms; (iii) labor market reforms; and (iv) further measures to reduce bottlenecks and increase productivity. With policies capable of generating 5 percent growth, Mauritius could reach high-income status in 2021, 4 years earlier than under the baseline.

  • Issue Year: 8/2017
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 54-83
  • Page Count: 30
  • Language: English