U.S. Embassy launches virtual presence post website for Seychelles |15 February 2007

Speaking to Seychelles Nation last week, the deputy chief of the mission, Stephen Schwartz, said  that a Virtual Presence Post is a new tool of U.S. diplomacy in the 21st century which enables the U.S. mission to have a presence in regions where there is no embassy physically located.

“It is recognised as an official U.S. diplomatic post,” he said as he logged onto http://seychelles.usvpp.gov at Nation’s offices.

“VPPs are “virtual” only because they do not involve physical facilities,” he said, noting that Seychelles VPP is the first country in the African region to enjoy the facility, and that there are 38 VPPs worldwide.

The VPP will enable the mission to utilise new communication technologies, along with traditional outreach efforts, in order to deepen its engagement with the people of Seychelles.

“The VPP gives the user easy access to the latest information on U.S. policies, how to apply for a U.S. visa, search for an American business partner, and a link to Education USA,” he said, giving the addresses http://mauritius.usembassy.gov/, and http://usembassy.state.gov as alternatives one looking for information can use.

“For many of these sections, you are redirected to the embassy website for more detailed information. “The VPP also has interesting features such as live interactive web chats on various topics, and the website has a page highlighting the events and programmes organised by the U.S. Embassy in Seychelles,” he said.

He called the VPP an interesting tool for the Seychellois to be in contact with the U.S. Embassy and said it will help promote Seychelles with the American public.

He told Nation that the website is hosted at the Department of State, Washington, D.C., and updated by the Embassy’s Public Affairs Section in Mauritius.