Mauritius: The Mauritius Expo Virtual Platform, developed by the Economic Development Board (EDB) as a 24/7 online exhibition platform to provide international visibility to products manufactured in Mauritius, was launched yesterday at the Caudan Arts Centre in Port Louis.
The Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Dr Renganaden Padayachy; the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives, Vassoo Allymootoo Putchay; the Chairman of the EDB, Hemraj Ramnial; and other personalities were present on the occasion.
The exhibition platform has been designed for the export-oriented manufacturing enterprises of Mauritius with the objectives, among others, of increasing their global visibility, helping them reach new markets, and enhancing connectivity with international buyers. The platform provides registered manufacturing companies with a customised digital booth to showcase their products and brands.
The platform offers a range of features such as online conferencing, chat, meeting booking, and live events. Representatives of local enterprises can therefore participate in virtual events, initiate research, and engage in matchmaking opportunities with a database of potential buyers and distributors.
In his speech at the launch event, the Finance Minister recalled that this project was announced in Budget 2021-2022 as a catalyst for the Made in Moris initiative and had already registered some 150 local production companies.
“It is a testimony of the Government’s steadfast commitment to foster a dynamic and attractive business environment,” he affirmed. He highlighted, too, that the local public institutions were leveraging digital transformation to create numerous opportunities for companies and called on local entrepreneurs to make the most of these new technologies.
According to Dr Padayachy, the innovative platform would enable swifter and preferential access to numerous markets and customers by tapping into the potentials brought forward under the Free Trade Agreement between Mauritius and China, the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement with India, and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Dr Padayachy also put forward the positive performance of export-oriented enterprises over the last two years. He deemed that statistics indicated that total exportations figures for 2022 had already exceeded those of the COVID-19 pre-pandemic period in 2019.
“The last publication from Statistics Mauritius in June 2023 regarding the export-oriented industries seems to confirm this upward trend, with total exports for the year 2023 expected to reach Rs 110 bn, which is 7,8% more than in 2022,” he said.
The Minister also talked about his vision for the future manufacturing sector, stating his belief in a productive, strong, dynamic, agile and resilient industry that would boost economic growth and foster job creation for Mauritians.
Hence, enhanced productivity, market diversification and expanding product ranges were among the vital elements listed by the Minister for the local export sector to remain competitive.
The message of the Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives, Mr Soomilduth Bholah, on the occasion of the launch of the exhibition platform, was shared by Permanent Secretary Vassoo Allymootoo Putchay.
The Minister underlined the need to focus on the new marketing avenues offered by technological innovations since market dynamism was changing with the emergence of e-marketing instruments, social media, lifestyle influencers and bloggers.
He was of the view that the Mauritius Expo Virtual Platform represented a major leap forward as it would be a cutting-edge tool for local companies to showcase their services without incurring major marketing expenses.
For his part, the Chairman of the EDB dwelt on the goals and benefits of the Mauritius Expo Virtual Platform. “The platform aims at providing a dynamic and immersive online environment where businesses, both large and small, can showcase their products, forge new partnerships, explore new potential and markets from the comfort of their offices or home,” he explained.
Hemraj Ramnial added that the platform would transcend geographical boundaries, enabling manufacturers to reach global audiences, expand their customer base, and seize lucrative business opportunities without the constraints of physical distance.