Unemployment in Mauritius edged up to 7.3 per cent in 2009 from 7.2 per cent a year earlier, bettering earlier forecasts even though the global downturn slowed activity in key sectors, official data shows.

Reports  say the Indian Ocean island has pulled through the global downturn better than expected, aided by a well coordinated fiscal and monetary expansionary policy.

Nonetheless, its tourism and leading export industries have seen demand squeezed, particularly textiles, leading to job losses.

Official data in December had projected the unemployment rate for 2009 would reach 7.7 percent on the island of 1.3 million people.

“Unemployment increased by 1,100 from 40,400 in 2008 to 41,500 in 2009,” the Central Statistics Office (CSO) said in a statement.

Officials expect a rebound in exports and tourism to underpin economic growth of up to 4.5 percent this year as core European export markets recover and domestic consumer spending strengthens.