Mauritius has confirmed its status as an African and world leader in several important aspects despite the negative effects of the global lockdowns on the local and global economy.

The country has been ranked as the top African country in the Economic Value of Peace Report (1st in Africa and 15th in the world) and the Democracy Index 2020 (1st in Africa and 20th in the world).

The Economic Value of Peace Report by the Institute for Economics and Peace (https://www.economicsandpeace.org/) estimates the economic impact of violence and conflict on the global economy. Violence has adverse implications for the broader economy, both in the short and long term, as it hinders productivity and economic activity, destabilises institutions and reduces business confidence. These all disrupt the economy, resulting in adverse and ongoing negative effects well after the conflict subsides. These effects include reduced GDP growth, a less predictable economy, higher levels of unemployment, lower levels of foreign direct investment and higher interest and inflation. The methodology used in the report’s production includes, among other things, indicators covering the direct and indirect costs of violence and the expenditures to contain and prevent violence. Estimates are provided for 163 countries and independent territories, covering over 99.5 per cent of the global population.

The Democracy Index 2020 was compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit (Home – Economist Intelligence Unit (eiu.com)) which is the research and analysis division of The Economist Group, the sister company to The Economist newspaper. The Democracy Index is based on five categories: electoral process and pluralism, the functioning of government, political participation, political culture, and civil liberties. This is the 13th edition of the Democracy Index, which began in 2006, and it records how global democracy fared in 2020. The main focus of the report is the impact of the) pandemic on democracy and freedom around the world. The Democracy Index provides a snapshot of the state of democracy worldwide in 165 independent states and two territories. This covers almost the entire population of the world and the vast majority of the world’s states.

The full reports can be found at the following links: