The central bank of Mauritius left its key repo rate at 4.0 percent, saying rising business confidence and public investment should support domestic output this year while an uptick in global commodity prices, especially energy, remain a key upside risk to inflation.

The Bank of Mauritius, which cut its rate by 40 basis points last year, added it was still working on achieving "the necessary conditions" before implementing a new monetary policy framework.

In its last statement from November, the central bank said it planned to implement the new framework early this year. It would be the first change in framework since December 2006.

The economy of Mauritius expanded by an annual rate of 4.0 percent in the third quarter of last year, up from 2.5 percent in the previous quarter, but the central bank "noted with concern" the recent adverse performance of exports but still maintained its forecast for 2017 growth of 3.8-4.0 percent.

Headline inflation eased to 1.8 percent in January from 2.3 percent in December but the central bank said underlying measures remain stable below 3 percent and bank staff project headline inflation of about 2.5 percent for 2017.

The Mauritian rupee, which fell sharply in 2014, has been firming this year and was trading at 35.3 to the U.S. dollar today, slightly up from 35.85 at the start of this year.