(Ecofin Agency) - This year, Mauritius was the best African country for doing business, according to a ranking published by the American magazine Forbes. This island of the Indian ocean is the 39^th  best country for business in the world in the ranking that compared 161 countries based on fifteen criteria. These criteria are notably, property rights, innovation, taxes, corruption, freedom (personal, economic and monetary), bureaucracy and investor protection, workforce availability, infrastructures, the market size as well as the living conditions.

South Africa (59^th globally) is the second in Africa, ahead of Morocco (62^nd on a global scale), the Seychelles, Tunisia, Botswana, Rwanda, Kenya and Ghana. Egypt (95^th on a global scale) is the last of the top 10 African countries for business in 2019.  

Most African countries are located further down in the ranking. Out of the ten worst countries for business, according to the ranking, seven are in Africa.

On a global scale, the UK is the best country, ahead of Sweden, Japan, the Netherland, New-Zealand, Canada, Denmark, Singapore, Australia and Switzerland. The USA is ranked 17^th while China is the 49^th.

Ranking of the best African countries for business :

1-Mauritius (39^th on a global scale)

2-South Africa (59^th)

3-Morocco (62^nd)

4-Seychelles (66^th)

5-Tunisia (82^nd)

6-Botswana (83^rd)

7-Rwanda (90^th)

8-Kenya (93^rd)

9-Ghana (94^th)

10-Egypt (95^th)

11-Namibia (96^th)

12-Senegal (100^th)

13-Zambia (103^rd)

14-Cabo Verde (104^th)

15-Nigeria (110^th)

16-Uganda (112^nd)

17-Algeria (114^th)

18-Côte d’Ivoire (117^th)

19-Benin (118^th)

20-Tanzania (119^th)

21-Swaziland (123^rd)

22-Madagascar (125^th)

23-Niger (127^th)

24-Burkina Faso (129^th)

25-Sierra Leone (131^st)

26-Mali (132^nd)

27-Cameroon (133^nd)

28-Lesotho (134^th)

29-Malawi (136^th)

30-Angola (138^th)

31-Zimbabwe (139^th)

32-Togo (140^th)

33-Liberia (141^st)

34-Mauritania (142^nd)

35-Mozambique (145^th)

36-Ethiopia (146^th)

37-Gabon (147^th)

38-Burundi (149^th)

39-DR Congo (150^th)

40-Guinea (151^st)

41-Libya (152^nd)

42-Gambia (155th)

43-Chad (157^th)

44-Equatorial Guinea (158^th)

45-Guinea Bissau (159^th)

46- Congo (160^th)

47-Central African Republic (161^st)