Death of former Australian HC Sandra Vegting |20 August 2014

President sends message of condolence

The former Australian high commissioner to Seychelles Sandra Vegting passed away on Sunday night in Melbourne, Australia, following a long illness.

President James Michel has sent a message of condolence to the Australian high commissioner Susan Coles expressing the deepest sympathies to family of Ms Vegting and to the Australian government.The President said that he was profoundly saddened to learn the death of Ms Vegting.

"I knew Sandra well, as a skilled and dedicated diplomat, who devoted much commitment and enthusiasm into developing the bonds of friendship and cooperation between Australia and Seychelles. Her vivacious personality and her thorough knowledge of Seychelles made her a valued partner and interlocutor.

I appreciated her keen intellect and her commitment to duty. We have lost a good friend and we mourn with you and her family Sandra’s passing, but her memory will live on," said the President in his message.

Ms Vegting served as Australian high commissioner to Seychelles between 2011 and 2013, while based in Mauritius.

In a separate message, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-Paul Adam has said that Australia had lost an incredible diplomat whose courage and dedication to the Foreign Service was both respected and appreciated by the diplomatic community in Seychelles.

"I worked very closely with Ms Vegting and consulted her many times on issues of regional and international importance. I will personally miss her strong partnership, her friendship, her candidness and her commitment in adding new layers to the very deep relations that Australia and Seychelles share," said Minister Adam in his message.

In honour of Ms Vegting’s contributions to consolidating the ties between Seychelles and Australia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will open a condolence book from 0800 tomorrow (August 21) until 1600 on Friday (August 22) for all those who wish to pay homage to her.