Technology Absorption and Its Determinants
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Figure1A.4 South Africa’s Imports of Low-, Medium-, and High-Technology Goods, Dollar Value, 2001–09 50,000 45,000
US$, millions
40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000
20 09
20 08
20 07
06 20
05 20
04 20
02 20
20
20
01
0
03
5,000
year high
low
medium
Source: SAIIA’s calculations based on ITC data, 2010.
Structure of Mauritius’s Trade in Technology-Intensive Goods Technology exports. Mauritius’s technology exports are dominated by low-technology goods, mainly clothing and textiles, which accounted for 39 percent of total merchandise exports in 2008, after declining from 61 percent in 2001 (see figure 1A.5). The cause of the decline is uncertain, but during the same period, Mauritius’s total merchandise exports grew by 58 percent, while low-technology exports declined by 1.2 percent, characterized by a sharp decline in 2004–05.11 This drop probably reflects the increased competition from Asian exporters of clothing and textiles after the phasing out of the MFA at the end of 2004. Subsequent recovery in terms of absolute values may reflect post-MFA consolidation and diversification into niche value-added clothing exports for the European market, and developments in the United States’ African Growth and Opportunities Act, under which Mauritius was temporarily granted derogation from the third-countrysourcing rule of origin provision. High- and medium-technology exports together accounted for about 10 percent of total merchandise exports in 2008 (figure 1A.5). As of 2008, approximately 40 percent of Mauritius’s US$2.4 billion merchandise exports (figure 1A.6) have been attributed to lowtechnology exports (mainly apparel and clothing products). Sugar and