The Economic Development Board (EDB) organised a full-day workshop on “Driving Export Growth in Industry through Digital Transformation, E-Marketing and AI” on 17 September 2026 at the EDB Auditorium in Ebène. The event brought together more than 130 manufacturers, industry stakeholders and experts to explore how digital technologies can contribute to greater productivity, competitiveness and export readiness.
The initiative was organised in collaboration with the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), the University of Mauritius, the University of Technology, Mauritius, and Infosys, as part of the EDB’s broader efforts to strengthen the capabilities of Mauritian enterprises and support the digital transformation of the manufacturing sector.
The Hon. Aadil Ameer Meea, Minister of Industry, SMEs and Cooperatives, officially opened the workshop and highlighted the need for an “industrial reset” in Mauritius, with the industrial sector progressively moving from a labour-intensive model towards a more productive, technology-enabled and higher-value model.
He emphasised that, given Mauritius’ size and cost structure, the country cannot compete solely on scale or low labour costs. Instead, Mauritian enterprises must build their competitive advantage around quality, agility, reliability, design, compliance and innovation, while leveraging digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence to improve productivity and better serve specialised and premium markets.
Mr Geerish Bucktowonsing, Director of Export Promotion and Market Access at the EDB, highlighted that digital transformation and Artificial Intelligence are increasingly becoming practical tools for Mauritian enterprises to enhance productivity, reduce costs, strengthen market intelligence and connect more effectively with international buyers.
He noted that Mauritius already exports around 2,262 products to approximately 140 destinations, demonstrating the breadth of the country’s industrial capabilities and international reach. He stressed, however, that greater emphasis must now be placed on establishing stronger connections between Mauritian manufacturers and the right buyers in overseas markets.
In this regard, Mr Bucktowonsing underlined the importance of combining digital visibility, e-marketing, trade intelligence and AI with traditional export promotion approaches to enable enterprises to retain existing markets, diversify into alternative markets and penetrate new ones.
Throughout the day, participants were exposed to practical insights and applications relating to digital transformation, Artificial Intelligence in manufacturing, e-marketing and digital export readiness. The workshop also provided a platform for exchanges between industry, academia, technology experts and institutions supporting enterprise development.
The initiative formed part of the EDB’s continued efforts to equip Mauritian enterprises with the tools and capabilities required to adapt to an increasingly digital and competitive global business environment, while strengthening their ability to access and grow in international markets.
