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MESSAGE FROM THE HIGH COMMISSIONER
As I write this message, the Chancery is ringing to the banging of hammers and the thud of the laying of new carpets. That of course is a good thing, as our long awaited renovation of Level 2 of the Rogers Building is finally taking shape. We look forward to welcoming you on your next visit to the High Commission in Port Louis in new smart surroundings.
Firstly, I want to make special reference to our forthcoming, and much anticipated, Australian Film Festival. This will be staged from 17-22 March at the Serge Constantine Theatre, Mauritius and it will surely be fully subscribed. So read on to find out more details, and to avoid being disappointed at missing out on a chance to see some high quality Australian cinema.
On the bilateral relationship more broadly there is currently a rich exchange at numerous levels between Mauritius and Australia. Australian Education week took place two weeks ago, with the arrival of over 23 Australian Universities and Colleges. A number of very well attended student exhibitions were conducted.
It is also the time to bid bon voyage to the Mauritian Commonwealth Games Team who will shortly be heading to Melbourne in time for the opening of the Melbourne 2006 XVIII Commonwealth Games, commencing from 15-26 March. This was celebrated at a reception at the Residence presided by the Acting President and attended by the Foreign Minister, Minister of Youth and Sport and Minister for Land and Housing.
Our interactive High Commission website, which will be better, more user friendly, and action packed with news than ever before has just been launched (see www.mauritius.embassy.gov.au). It is worth adding this to your list of Favorites – it includes links to some key events in Australia, as well as information on immigration, education and events the High Commission is organizing both in Mauritius, but also in our neighboring countries of Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros.
Finally we have launched our Australian University Alumni initiative. We are looking to attract both the AusAID Scholarship student recipients, but also any Australian alumni that would like to be included in our Australian High Commission activities. All you need to do is register with the Australian High Commission at our Embassy website.
On regional news, I was very pleased to join our Austrade colleagues on a visit to Madagascar to scope out mining potential for Australian companies, and we were able to present several cheques to organization in remote communities under our Direct Aid Program during this visit. Seychelles has also been very much in our focus, with the visit of our Consul, Stuart Shaw, in November and the visit by myself and my family over the Christmas period. On both these occasions, we were able to build on our already strong bilateral relationship.
Ian McConville
Australian High Commissioner
Port Louis