Envoy exchange brings ties with Mauritius to higher level |26 September 2012

Marie France Roussety said this at State House after she presented her credentials to President James Michel, becoming her country’s first ever ambassador to Seychelles.

“Our relations with Seychelles are getting much closer, much bigger and more intense,” said Mrs Roussety, a seasoned diplomat who has served her country as ambassador to Japan, Vanuatu, New Zealand and France among other places.

She noted her accreditation comes after the visit here in June of Mauritian Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam who was the guest of honour at our 19th National Day celebrations and President Michel’s visit as guest of honour to Mauritius.

“We have a lot of economic developments to do together, so to consolidate these relations our governments have decided to name two ambassadors, so here I am representing Mauritius,” she said.

Among the areas due to preoccupy officials from both countries is the management of the continental shelf between the two countries, agreement over which made world news and drew acclaim.

She said we need to harvest from the sea as we benefit from what we call the blue economy, adding this is a key area in which we need to work very hard.

Other areas in which the two countries can work together are tourism and education, she said.

“Apart from these there are a lot of protocol agreements signed or will be signed between the two countries in the future, for example regarding the police and the judiciary which we need to work on with foreseeable tangible fruits,” she said.

Mrs Roussety noted already there are lot of exchange programmes between Seychelles and Mauritius including an oncoming big festival in which Seychellois artists like Jean Marc Volcy will take part.