Mauritius sees 2016/17 GDP growth at 4.1 pct, fiscal deficit narrowing

PORT LOUIS (Reuters) - Mauritius expects economic growth to climb to 4.1 percent in 2016/17 and sees its fiscal deficit narrowing over the same July-June period, the finance minister said in his budget speech on Friday. The Indian Ocean island, which markets itself as a bridge between Africa and Asia, is trying to shift an economy mostly focused on sugar, textiles and tourism towards offshore banking, business outsourcing, luxury real estate and medical tourism. Mauritius expects economic growth of 3.90 percent this year from 3.50 percent last year. Finance minister Pravind Jugnauth, who did not say what would drive the surge in growth in 2016/17, said total public spending would stand at 170 billion rupees ($4.8 billion) in the period while revenues would be 102.4 billion rupees. The fiscal deficit in 2016/17 would decline to 3.3 percent of GDP, down from 3.5 percent in the previous period, he said. ($1 = 35.2500 Mauritius rupees) (Reporting by Jean Paul Arouff; Writing by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

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