Mauritius Launches National AI Strategy and Fairness Guidelines

Mauritius officially launched its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and accompanying FAIR Guidelines in Phoenix on April 9, 2026, marking a major milestone in the country's ambition to become a high-tech, innovation-driven digital economy.

Ethics built into the framework

The FAIR Guidelines — grounded in principles of fairness, accountability, inclusivity and responsibility — are designed to sit alongside the national strategy as a practical ethics framework, guiding how public and private-sector AI systems are developed and deployed across the island nation.

UNDP support

The strategy was developed with support from the United Nations Development Programme, reflecting Mauritius's approach of pairing ambitious domestic policy with international technical assistance. Officials described the launch as grounding the country's AI ambitions in ethical, inclusive and people-centred principles rather than pursuing adoption for its own sake.

Setting up what follows

The strategy launch preceded a series of concrete follow-through measures later in 2026, including AI provisions in the national budget and new regulations on AI use in higher education, suggesting the government intended the strategy document to translate quickly into implementation rather than remain aspirational.