Communique – AGOA Extension Bill and Retroactive Application of AGOA Certificates of Origin
23 Jan 2026
The SheTrades Mauritius Hub, operating under the Economic Development Board (EDB), hosted a workshop on Incentives and Schemes for Entrepreneurs on Friday 05th July 2024. The workshop was conducted with the participation of key stakeholders such as the SME Mauritius, the Development Bank of Mauritius (DBM) and the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA).
This initiative aligns with the hub’s strategy to further bolster the capacity of women-led businesses. In her welcome address, Mrs. Nirmala Jeetah, Director of Bio Industry & Project Development and SheTrades at the EDB, highlighted the pivotal role women entrepreneurs play in driving economic growth and innovation globally. She also emphasised that the workshop has been designed to provide a comprehensive overview of these incentives, which are specifically tailored to meet the unique challenges and opportunities faced by women entrepreneurs at different phases of their business life cycle. She encouraged women entrepreneurs to make the most of this workshop.
The representative from the SME Mauritius provided an insight on the series of services available to SMEs, from Advisory and Consultancy to Incubation and Networking. Namely the: Business Transformation Scheme (BTS), Technology And Innovation Scheme (Tins), Market Readiness Scheme (Mars), Greening Support Scheme (GSS), Agro-Agri Business Scheme (ABS), Outreach And Inclusion Scheme (OIS) and the Barcode Scheme (BS). Emphasis was laid upon the eligibility criteria and the areas covered by each scheme. Furthermore, SME Mauritius provides a series of training in Crafts and Skills and in Management to SMEs. The training calendar is available on the website of the SME Mauritius. They also provide incubation facility at their premises located in Coromandel.
The DBM has 87 years of service in promoting the socio-economic growth of the country. The representative from the DBM gave an overview on the different loan schemes available to entrepreneurs such as the: Women entrepreneur loan scheme, Backyard Gardening Scheme, Bee Keeping Loan Scheme, New Agricultural Loan Scheme, MSME Financing Loan Scheme, Special Loan Schemes to retailers, Loan Scheme to small contractors, Loan Scheme for the Purchase and Installation of the PV Panels & Batteries to SMEs, Loan to Car Wash Operators, Rainwater Harvesting System Loan Scheme and the Business Loan Scheme. Additionally, the DBM also provides renting of spaces for businesses at very competitive rate through their existing Industrial Estates & Buildings and SME Parks.
The MRA a key player in the business environment offers various online facilitation services for businesses. The representative from the MRA provided a good synopsis of the E-Registration of Economic operators, the Deferred Payment Scheme, the Vat Deferred Payment Scheme and Exemptions.
This event provided a good opportunity for women entrepreneurs to familiarize themselves with the various schemes the government has implemented for SMEs. The interactive session, with its questions and answers, made the workshop even more insightful and engaging.
The SheTrades Mauritius Hub recognizes the crucial role of women’s empowerment in fostering economic development. Through providing women entrepreneurs with essential skills and knowledge, the hub aims to facilitate their successful growth and prepare them to further flourish their business and engage in international trade.
For the year 2024, a series of activities have been planned under the SheTrades Mauritius Hub, including capacity building, mentorship and marketing events that will provide networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs. To participate in these programs and benefit from the available resources, we encourage you to register on the SheTrades Mauritius Platform by clicking on the following link:
