Budget 2018-19 - private investment : fostering development revolving around Artificial Intelligence

The Minister of Finance stated that digital revolution allows smaller economies to unleash their creative potential and leapfrog traditional industrial development.

He highlighted that the government aims to foster the development of a new growth pole revolving around Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain technologies and Fintech.

• The setting up a Mauritius Artificial Intelligence Council (MAIC), comprising members from the public and private sectors, as well as international experts in this new field in order to strengthen the foundations and ecosystem for AI to develop
• The setting up a Steering Committee, under the Prime Minister’s Office, comprising representatives of relevant Ministries to ensure greater coherence in the digitisation of public-sector services and the monitoring of its implementation in a timely manner.
• CEB will offer a special rate of electricity to accredited data centre operators having at least a Tier 3 infrastructure in order to support the development of this activity
• Government will set up a new scholarship scheme for 50 students annually who wish to specialise in digital technologies, including AI and Blockchain
• Giving the necessary support to the University of Mauritius to double its intake of students in Computer Science and Software Engineering to 240.
• The government is making provision for the training of 2,000 more students in primary schools and 2,500 students in secondary schools in coding.