In 2018, Mauritius became one of the first African countries to publish a national AI strategy, aiming to promote AI for economic growth and improved quality of life. The strategy focuses on key sectors like manufacturing, health, agriculture, and financial technology, while also emphasizing capacity-building and ethical AI development.
Mauritius has also taken steps to strengthen data protection, enacting a new Data Protection Act in 2017 that aligns with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation. The country ratified the Council of Europe's Convention 108+ in 2020, becoming the first African nation to do so and committing to principles of algorithmic transparency.
The country established an AI Council to advise the government on supporting the AI ecosystem. Mauritius has also made efforts to increase public participation in digital governance, creating platforms like the Citizen Support Portal for e-participation and e-decision-making.
However, concerns have been raised about the effectiveness of public consultation processes, particularly regarding proposed amendments to legislation affecting digital rights and privacy.
Mauritius' Safe City Project, which aims to install 4,000 AI-powered surveillance cameras with facial recognition capabilities, has drawn scrutiny from privacy advocates. The project, implemented in partnership with Huawei, has raised concerns about potential mass surveillance and data protection.
While the government has issued a Code of Practice for the operation of these systems, questions remain about oversight and the project's exemption from certain data protection requirements on national security grounds.
Mauritius has faced challenges related to its national identity card system, which includes biometric data collection. A UN Human Rights Committee ruling in 2021 found that the mandatory storage of biometric data for ID cards violated privacy rights under international law. The government's response to this ruling remains unclear.
Despite these concerns, Mauritius generally maintains a strong human rights record, ranking as "free" in Freedom House's 2023 report with a score of 85/100. The country has a comprehensive human rights framework and has ratified key international treaties.
While not a member of the OECD or G20, Mauritius has aligned its AI strategy with many OECD AI Principles. The country endorsed UNESCO's Recommendation on the Ethics of AI in 2021 and is participating in regional efforts to implement these ethical guidelines.
Mauritius has also taken a stance against lethal autonomous weapons systems, supporting international efforts to negotiate legally binding instruments on their use.
Mauritius has made significant progress in developing AI policies and data protection frameworks, positioning itself as a leader in Africa. However, the country faces ongoing challenges in balancing its AI ambitions with privacy and human rights concerns, particularly regarding surveillance technologies.
This country report is our interpretation and summary of the "CAIDP Artificial Intelligence & Democratic Values Index 2023". The full report can be found here - https://www.caidp.org/reports/aidv-2023/