Mauritius 1st on Global Innovation Index for Sub-Saharan African region

Mauritius is ranked first in Sub-Saharan Africa on the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2015 and positions itself 49th globally.

The GII ranks the innovation performance of 141 countries and economies, that represent 95.1% of the world’s population and 98.6% of the world’s GDP (in current US dollars), and is based on 79 indicators.

The 2015 index highlights that in recent years, three Sub-Saharan African (over 32 countries) have reached positions in the upper half of the GII rankings: Mauritius is on the 49th this year; South Africa is 60th; and Seychelles is 65th.

Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United States of America are the world’s five most innovative nations, while China, Malaysia, Vietnam, India, Jordan, Kenya, and Uganda are among a group of countries outperforming their economic peers.

The GII 2015 looks at ‘Effective Innovation Policies for Development’ and shows new ways that emerging-economy policymakers can boost innovation and spur growth by building on local strengths and ensuring the development of a sound national innovation environment.

It is recalled that the Mauritian Government has identified innovation as a key focus area in its strategy to drive the economy and create employment.

GII 2015

The index, in its 8th edition this year, is co-published by Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organisation, a specialsed agency of the United Nations.

The GII 2015 explores the impact of innovation-oriented policies on economic growth and development. High-income and developing countries alike are seeking innovation-driven growth through different strategies. Some countries are successfully improving their innovation capacity, while others still struggle.