Mauritius Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2018)

The Mauritius Artificial Intelligence Strategy is an aspirational, non-binding national policy document published in November 2018. It was produced by the Working Group on Artificial Intelligence, one of three working groups reporting to a steering committee chaired by the Secretary to the Cabinet, with the Economic Development Board acting as secretariat and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development providing logistical and administrative support. The Enacted/Effective dates recorded here reflect publication and adoption of the strategy, not any legislative enactment; the document carries no binding legal force. The strategy frames AI as a cornerstone of the country's next development model, capable of improving growth, productivity and quality of life, and positions Mauritius to become a regional AI leader among small island developing states. Its core method is to match existing and emerging AI solutions to specific sectors and areas of the Mauritian economy that could benefit, while assessing the country's unique selling points, the ecosystem and collaborative communities needed to nurture AI, the labour and skills requirements to sustain it, the regulatory framework required to enable development, and possible fiscal or other incentives. Priority application areas identified include manufacturing, healthcare, financial services and fintech, agriculture, the ocean economy and smart-city and public-service applications. The strategy's central institutional recommendation is the creation of a Mauritius Artificial Intelligence Council (MAIC) of around ten members to facilitate and oversee project implementation and to quantify the socio-economic impact of AI. The strategy anticipates follow-up work on skills development, data and regulatory frameworks and investment incentives, but does not itself create enforceable obligations. It was later built upon by the National AI Strategy and FAIR Guidelines launched in April 2026.

1. 1Recommends establishment of a Mauritius Artificial Intelligence Council (MAIC) of around ten members to facilitate, oversee and coordinate AI implementation and quantify socio-economic impact
2. 2Identifies priority application sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, financial services/fintech, agriculture, the ocean economy and smart-city/public services
3. 3Calls for development of AI skills, technical expertise and collaborative AI communities to sustain the ecosystem
4. 4Recommends a regulatory framework and supportive data environment to enable AI development
5. 5Proposes fiscal and other incentives to attract AI investment and nurture local capability