Mauritius, a small island nation with a population of 1,259,509 million (2024), boasts one of the most successful and competitive economies in Africa. In 2024, the World Bank reported Mauritius’s GDP at $14.95 billion with a GDP per capita of $11,872. Mauritius’s open economy, strategic trade agreements, and business-friendly environment make it an attractive destination for U.S. businesses seeking opportunities in Africa. With strong trade ties to the United States and a focus on emerging sectors such as renewable energy, information and communication technologies, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and the ocean economy, Mauritius offers significant potential for investment and collaboration. 

Mauritius is recognized as one of the freest and most business-friendly countries in Africa. The 2025 Index of Economic Freedom, published by the Heritage Foundation, ranked Mauritius first among 47 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and 15th globally, an improvement from 19th globally in 2024 and 26th in 2023. Per this index, the country’s regulatory environment is well-institutionalized and efficient, with business and labor freedom scores far exceeding global averages.  

According to the World Bank’s B-READY 2024 report, Mauritius excels in labor regulations, taxation, and international trade, supported by strong regulatory frameworks and efficient public services. The report notes that operational efficiency is generally favorable, and further improvements could enhance business compliance and service delivery while targeted reforms in public services and regulatory clarity could strengthen Mauritius’s business environment. 

The country boasts a diverse economy with key sectors driving growth. Financial and business services serve as a regional hub, contributing 13.4 percent of GDP in 2024, while manufacturing, supported by trade agreements such as AGOA, accounted for 12.8 percent of GDP. Other significant sectors include tourism (8.6 percent), BPO/ICT (5.6 percent), real estate development (4.9 percent), and education and training (4.5 percent), alongside emerging opportunities in the ocean economy, renewable energy, and pharmaceutical/biotechnology industries. 
Trade and Investment with the United States 

The Government of Mauritius (GoM) values its trade relationship with the United States and has consistently engaged U.S. officials on extending the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) beyond 2025 and establishing a bilateral investment treaty. 

In 2024, U.S. goods and services trade with Mauritius totaled an estimated $830 million. U.S. total goods trade (exports plus imports) with Mauritius was an estimated $282 million, with Mauritian exports to the U.S. amounting to $235 million. U.S. total services trade (exports plus imports) with Mauritius totaled an estimated $548 million in 2024. U.S. services exports to Mauritius were $348 million. In 2024, the U.S. goods trade deficit with Mauritius was $186 million and the U.S. services trade surplus with Mauritius was $148 million. 

U.S. Key Exports to Mauritius (2024) included a diverse range of goods, such as energy products (butanes), machinery and equipment (transmission machines, apparatuses, airplane parts, data-processing machines, parts of telephone sets, medical and pharmaceutical items (needles, medical instruments, medicaments, vaccines, prepared diagnostic or laboratory reagents, and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus), construction materials (silicones and prefabricated buildings), consumer goods (food preparations, fresh or dried almonds, and articles of plastics, alcoholic beverages), and industrial products (pigments and preparations). Additionally, vehicles are a significant import category. 
Mauritius Key Exports to the U.S. (2024) were live animals (non-human primates for biomedical research) leading, followed by apparel, seafood, sugar products, and jewelry-related items (pearls, precious and semi-precious stones). 
AGOA has been instrumental in developing Mauritius’s manufacturing sector, fostering vertical and regional integration in textiles and apparel, and enabling other industries such as precious stones, jewelry, sunglasses, and fish products to access U.S. markets. 

Global Trade Relationships 

Mauritius has been a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) since 1995 and has established numerous trade agreements with regional blocs and countries to enhance its global trade relations. Key agreements include the Common Market for Southern and Eastern Africa Free Trade Area (COMESA), the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area, the Southern African Development Community Free Trade Area (SADC), and the interim Economic Partnership Agreement (iEPA) with the European Union (EU). Mauritius also has bilateral agreements, such as a free trade agreement with Turkey and a preferential trade agreement with Pakistan. Negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU are ongoing. 

In recent years, Mauritius has expanded its trade partnerships significantly. In January 2021, the free trade agreement with China—the first between China and an African country—came into effect, alongside the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA). The Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Partnership Agreement (CECPA) with India also took effect in April 2021. Additionally, Mauritius signed the UK-ESA Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in January 2021, ensuring continuity post-Brexit, and a Strategic Trade Partnership (STP) with the UK in April 2023 to boost trade and investment in sectors like financial services, green economy, education, and biotechnology. 

Mauritius has also strengthened regional and international cooperation. In May 2023, it signed a General Cooperation Agreement (GCA) with South Africa to enhance collaboration across various sectors. In July 2024, Mauritius signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the UAE, the UAE’s first such agreement with an African country, focusing on fintech, healthcare, and tourism. In March 2025, Mauritius signed several memorandums of understanding with India to promote cross-border transactions in national currencies, share maritime data, combat money laundering, and support micro, small, and medium enterprises. Both governments agreed to collaborate on investments in high-growth sectors like the ocean economy, pharmaceuticals, IT, and fintech to diversify Mauritius’s economy for sustainable growth. 

Mauritius has also signed Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (IPPAs) with 46 countries and entities, further solidifying its position as a global trade and investment hub. 

Top Export Destinations: 
1.    South Africa (11.6 percent) 
2.    Madagascar (10.3 percent) 
3.    United States (10.2 percent) 
4.    France (9.2 percent) 
5.    United Kingdom (9.1 percent) 
6.    Spain (7.0 percent) 
7.    Netherlands (4.6 percent) 
8.    Reunion (3.9 percent) 
9.    Italy (3.1 percent) 
10.    Kenya (3.1 percent) 
11.    Others (27.9 percent) 

Top Import Sources: 
1.    China (17.3 percent) 
2.    United Arab Emirates (12.8 percent) 
3.    India (10.8 percent) 
4.    South Africa (7.4 percent) 
5.    France (5.9 percent) 
6.    Japan (3.3 percent) 
7.    German (3.2 percent) 
8.    Spain (2.4 percent) 
9.    Italy (2.0 percent) 
10.    Malaysia (2.0 percent) 
11.    Others (33.0 percent)

Political Environment 

Visit the State Department’s website for background on the country’s political and economic environment.