To achieve such a result, a series of criteria should be met: a true political will, financial resources and a context-specific vision. The Smart City Scheme was launched by the Board of Investment in 2015, in collaboration with the Mauritian Government, with the objective of developing 8 Smart Cities. To facilitate the setup of this concept, the government has provisioned appropriate tax and non-tax measures to attract local and foreign investors.
The Vision
The Smart City Scheme is an ambitious economic development programme to consolidate Mauritius into a full-fledged international business and financial hub with ideal conditions for working, living and spurring investment through the development of Smart Cities across the island. These Smart Cities have to be developed using the latest advancements in urban planning and digitalised technologies. When completed, the Smart Cities will make Mauritius a global smart country, a centre of excellence for international business and knowledge development that will create a sustainable circle economy and high quality of life.
Objectives of the Smart City Scheme
The thrust of a smart city project is to create working, living and leisure space that will be environment-friendly; aim at generating its own resources in terms of energy and water; provide for state of the art connectivity; provide smart modern transportation; and reduce traffic congestion.
The main guidelines are:
- the creation of smart cities across Mauritius which shall be mixed use development comprising office, business, residential and entertainment components all integrated in a coherent Master Plan focusing on innovation, sustainability, efficiency and quality of life
- the creation of an environment friendly working, living and leisure space aiming at generating its own resources in terms of energy and other utilities and providing for state-of-the-art connectivity, modern transportation and reducing traffic congestion
- the promotion and coordination of the orderly and economic use and development of land
- the proper management, development and conservation of natural and man-made resources for the purposes of promoting the social and economic welfare of the community and a better environment
- ecologically sustainable development
- the promotion of targeted economic activities resulting to an increase in foreign direct investment and export to rapidly growing economies, while at the same time strengthening the industrial and service base and an economic diversification path.
