馃嚥馃嚭MauritiusEast Africa
Export-oriented enterprises lose 2,453 jobs, an 8.1% annual decline
via Le Mauricien1 min read
Export Oriented Enterprises experienced a loss of 2,453 jobs between March 2025 and March 2026, reducing the workforce from 30,105 to 27,652 employees, an 8.1% decrease over one year. Mauritian workers were most affected, with 1,621 jobs lost, including 1,197 held by women and 424 by men. The number of foreign workers decreased by 832 positions, comprising 603 men and 229 women. Job cuts were concentrated in clothing manufacturing, which lost 1,403 jobs, and the food industry, with 576 positions eliminated. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, the sector saw a decline of 572 jobs, a 2% decrease, with the workforce falling from 28,224 to 27,652. This reduction was due to 801 job eliminations resulting from workforce reductions in some companies and the closure of others. Regarding exports, EOE companies achieved 9.3 billion rupees in the first quarter of 2026. This represents a 14.6% decrease compared to the fourth quarter of 2025 but a slight 0.5% increase compared to the same period last year. The United Kingdom, South Africa, the United States, Spain, and France remain the main export markets, accounting for nearly 67% of the sector's sales. While exports to Spain and the United Kingdom increased from the previous quarter, they significantly declined to the United States and South Africa. Over one year, sales to the United States showed a strong rebound of 54.1%.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Mauricien.
Must ReadPrime Minister Navin Ramgoolam responded to Joanna B茅renger of the Militant Progressive Front regarding the State Partnership Program with the New Mexico National Guard and the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement with the United States. Ramgoolam assured that no military bases are planned. He highlighted Mauritius's significant maritime security challenges as a small island developing state, including illegal fishing, drug trafficking, organized transnational crime, irregular migration, piracy, climate change impacts, and the protection of critical maritime infrastructure, which exceed its limited resources. Ramgoolam stated that no Western Indian Ocean country can effectively address these challenges in isolation, and Mauritius consistently pursues a policy of strengthening bilateral, regional, and international partnerships to enhance its maritime security, law enforcement, and disaster response capabilities. He detailed cooperation with countries like India, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and organizations such as the European Union, INTERPOL, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime through joint exercises, capacity building, information sharing, maritime domain awareness initiatives, technical assistance, and training programs. The State Partnership Program, signed on May 22, 2026, aims to establish a lasting institutional partnership based on professional exchanges, technical cooperation, and capacity building, without creating legal or fin
The trial of Mariia Peresolkina, a 28-year-old Ukrainian woman accused of importing dangerous drugs with an averment of trafficking, resumed on June 30, 2026. Inspector Bsomi, during cross-examination by Peresolkina's lawyer Me Shameer Hussenboccus, admitted to significant flaws in the police investigation. Bsomi confirmed that John Mick Martingale, whose suspicious death in Beau-Bassin prison in 2024 is under judicial inquiry, was part of an international drug network. Martingale, Peresolkina, and Olega Levina were arrested at SSR Airport on October 29, 2022, after two bottles of liquid synthetic drug were found in Peresolkina's luggage. However, Martingale's first statement was recorded only five months later. Inspector Bsomi conceded that nothing in Martingale's statements incriminated Peresolkina. He also admitted that the contents of Martingale's laptop were not analyzed by the police's IT Unit, citing a flat battery as the reason, and that he did not pursue this lead despite Martingale being suspected of international drug transactions using cryptocurrency. Bsomi was also contradicted regarding his knowledge of Katerina Kononova, a Ukrainian national in Mauritius, who had booked flights for Martingale, Peresolkina, and Levina from Brussels to Mauritius. Bsomi admitted he did not investigate Kononova, who lived in Flic-en-Flac. Kononova's Mauritian husband, Kevin 脡douard, reportedly died of an overdose one month after Martingale's death. Martingale was found hanged in hi
Must ReadAir Mauritius is under investigation by the police and the Financial Crimes Commission following a forensic inquiry by Kroll Middle East Consultancy Ltd into aircraft sales and leases from 2014 to 2024. Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam stated that the national airline incurred significant losses from these operations, and falsified reports were allegedly submitted to the Air Mauritius board. Ken Arian, former head of Airports Holding Limited, and Sattar Hajee Abdoula, former Top Gun of Air Mauritius's Voluntary Administration, have been implicated by the Kroll report's findings. The inquiry revealed that Air Mauritius sold four aircraft between December 2014 and December 2024, resulting in a net loss of approximately Rs 1.2 billion. Confidentiality clauses prevent the disclosure of total proceeds from these sales. During the same period, 11 aircraft were added to the fleet through direct purchase, finance leases, and operating leases, with costs also undisclosed due to confidentiality agreements. Additionally, 11 aircraft were grounded 100 times between 2014 and 2024 due to technical issues, unavailability of spare parts, lack of spare engines, and supply chain constraints. The Air Mauritius board commissioned the Kroll investigation last year to examine the sale or disposal of five aircraft during the voluntary administration period of 2020-2021, as well as the leasing of two A330-200s in 2022 and the order for an additional A350-900 in 2023. The board met on June 25 and 29, 2