Events - Australian High Commission

Australian High Commission

Mauritius

High Commission address: 2nd Floor, Rogers House, 5 President John Kennedy St, Port Louis - Telephone: 202 0160 - Fax: 208 8878

Senior and Mid-Managers of the Mauritian Prison Services attend training program with the Department of Corrective Services in Western Australia

High Commissioner Vegting hosted a reception at her residence on 22 May in honour of six senior and mid-managers of the Mauritian Prison Services who will participate in a four-week training programme at the Department of Corrective Services Academy in Western Australia. The reception was also an opportunity to welcome back a group of Officers who participated in a study visit last year to Western Australia which was organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Guests were able to taste the cooking delights of the Women's Prison Pasty Unit who provided catering for the event. The High Commission provided funding to the Pastry Unit last year through its Direct Aid Program.
The six senior and mid-managers who will attend the training in Australia are Mr Jaganaden Rungadoo (Deputy Commissioner of Prisons), Mr Abdool Rahman Assotally (Principal Prisons Officer), Mr Vikram Bhunjun (Senior Officer Cadet),
Mr Vijay Bhunjun (Senior Officer Cadet), Mr Praveen Bhogun (Senior Officer cadet) and Mr Dawasing Numdhoo (Senior Officer Cadet).

Mauritius hosts 3rd regional training for African recipients of Australian-funded scholarships

The Mauritius Institute of Training and Development (MITD), in partnership with Australia's Chisholm Institute of Technical and Further Education, welcomed African recipients of Australian-funded scholarships. Representatives from Mauritius, Malawi, Namibia, Seychelles, Uganda, Ghana, Togo, Ethiopia, Senegal, Mozambique and Tanzania are completing a Technical and Vocational Education and Training Teacher Skills Upgrade Program from 6 – 17 May 2013. Funding for the training was provided by the Australian Government through its Australia Awards for Africa Program.
The Australia Awards Program is a central part of the Australian Government's development cooperation programme in Africa. A key feature of the Teacher Skill program is the development and implementation of Return-to-Work Plans. These plans are based on practical projects which have had an immediate impact.

The Australia Awards in Africa Program was introduced in Mauritius in 2010. Since its introduction, 73 Mauritians have been awarded scholarships. Further information on the program is available on www.adsafrica.com.au

Australia and Mauritius co-host the Second Indian Ocean Coastal State Meeting

Australia and Mauritius co-hosted the Second Indian Ocean Coastal State Meeting from 30 April and 1 May 2013. The coastal State meeting was held immediately prior to the Seventeenth Session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), in Mauritius.

The coastal State meeting was aimed at building regional cooperation and collaboration on fisheries issues of mutual interest. Last year, Australia hosted the inaugural Indian Ocean Coastal State meeting in advance of the 16th Session of the IOTC in Fremantle, Australia.

The two day plenary style meeting provided coastal States the opportunity to discuss the conservation and management measures being considered at the 17th Session of the IOTC and secondly to explore avenues for closer collaboration on fisheries issues of mutual interest, including issues pertaining to the IOTC.

The Australian Government supports the secondment program of two Comorians to the Mauritius Revenue Authority

The Australian Government has provided funding to support the secondment of two Comorian officials from the tax and customs department to the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA). At the launching ceremony organised at the MRA Headquarters on April 8, 2013, the Australian Ambassador to the Comoros, HE Ms. Sandra Vegting, declared that the program will expose the Comorian officials to best practice in the fields of revenue administration in Mauritius and inspire them to take a leading role in reform and modernisation activities in their country. Ms Vegting added that the program was promoting regional cooperation and was in line with Australia's commitment to strengthen ties with the islands states in the Indian Ocean.
Mr Djamal Ahamada and Mr Adbou Mmadi Athoumani will be on attachment to the MRA for a month and complete the program in early May 2013. The secondment program is a joint partnership between the Australian Government, the Mauritius Revenue Authority and the International Monetary Fund Afritac South Centre.

Anzac Day 2013

The Australian High Commission held a commemoration service at Phoenix cemetery in Mauritius on Thursday 25 April. The service was attended by a number of Australians and New Zealanders living and visiting Mauritius. During the service, wreaths were layed by the Mauritian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr the Hon Arvin Boolell, the Australian High Commissioner HE Sandra Vegting, the New Zealand Honorary Consul Mr Harold Man Hin, the British High Commissioner HE Nick Leake and the American Ambassador HE Shari Villarosa.

Australia funds more community environmental projects in the Seychelles

On 18 January 2013, the Australian High Commission announced the funding of two community environmental projects in the Seychelles worth USD 120,000 under the Australian Agency for International Development’s (AusAID) Small Island Developing States Community-Based Adaptation Programme. The two projects which will address coastal erosion and soil salinity on Praslin Island will be monitored and administered by UNDP Seychelles’ Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP).

The announcement was made during the Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Islands Affairs and Foreign Affairs, the Hon Richard Marles MP, visit to the Seychelles from 16 – 18 January 2013. Also present at the event were the Seychelles Minister for Environment and Energy, Professor Rolph Payet, the Australian High Commissioner, Sandra Vegting, the UNDP Resident Coordinator, Simon Springett and representatives of the local NGOs responsible for conducting the projects on Praslin Island.

During the ceremony, the Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Islands Affairs and Foreign Affairs, the Hon Richard Marles MP, presented the Seychelles Minister for Environment and Energy, Professor Rolph Payet, a letter confirming support of AUD10, 000 for a community project aimed at promoting sustainable homes for the elderly in the Seychelles. The Australian High Commission will co-fund this project with the Seychelles Ministry for Environment and Energy.

Australian funded Basic Health Centre at Tsaratanana

On 10 November 2012, the Community of Tsaratanana in Madagascar inaugurated the first Health Centre of the locality. The construction was financed by the Australian Embassy to Madagascar as part of its Direct Aid Programme (DAP), in collaboration with local NGO Madagascar Development Fund. DAP is intended to support community-based activities that promote sustainable economic and social development.

The Health Centre was opened to the public on 7 January 2012. Since then, more than
250 people from the village and neighbouring communes received treatment and more than 600 Malgaches have been vaccinated against common illnesses

More Australian Development Scholarships for Mauritius and the Seychelles

Twenty three Australian Development Scholarships (Masters Level) have been awarded to Mauritians and Seychellois for the 2013 academic intake.

As part of its preparations for the departing scholarship students, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) hosted a workshop for the awardees in Mauritius from 29 to 30 October 2012. At the workshop, awardees were briefed on a range of personal and academic issues including how to successfully relocate and strategies for achieving academic success in their studies in Australia. Awardees also discussed their plans to use their new skills to contribute to their country’s development upon their return home following completion of their post graduate studies. Awardees also met returned students who shared their experiences of studying and living in Australia.

The 2013 awardees are :

Mauritius

Hurryvansh AUBEELUCK (School Management Department, Ministry of Education and Human Resources), Pyranah Vijay BANGAROO (Municipal Council of Beau Bassin/Rose Hill), Bhikajee DEVENRAO (Planning Division (Ministry of Housing And Lands), Varuna COOBLALL (Division of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agro Industry & Food Security), Chandrani GOPAUL (Ministry of Finance and Economic Development), Keerandeo JANGI (Farmers Service Corporation), Janick Marie-Anne JAUNBOCUS (Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science , Research & Technology), Hemlata KALLYDIN (Agricultural Research and Extension Unit), Madhoosingh JANKEE (Ministry of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms-Hrd Division), Bibi Jasbeen MOORADKHAN (Ministry of Agro Industry And Food Security-Food Technology Laboratory), Vikash MUNBODME (Albion Fisheries Research Centre, Ministry Of Fisheries), Mayen PAYENDEE (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade ) and Salim RUMJAN (Ministry of Housing And Lands - Planning Division).

Seychelles

Stephanie ADRIENNE (Ministry of Health), Beryl CONFAIT (National Council For Children), Gabriel ESSACK (Ministry Of Social Affairs And Culture), Maryline JOSEPH (the Mauritius Commercial Bank Ltd), Sabrena LAWRENCE (Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA), Ministry Of Investment, Natural Resources), Anna Lespoir (Ministry of Education), Vereine Loius-Marie (Ministry of Health), Rodney Quatre (Seychelles National Parks Authority), Annarita Stravens (Office of the Auditor General) and Naomi Vidot (Ministry of Health).

In addition to being awarded Australian Masters Awards, Hemlata KALLYDIN (Mauritius), Mayen PAYENDEE (Mauritius), Vikash MUNBODME (Mauritius), Anna LESPOIR (Seychelles) and Annarita STRAVENS (Seychelles) were also selected for Australian Leadership Awards (ALA) scholarships. These are awarded annually to high achieving applicants who have demonstrated leadership or have the potential to assume leadership roles that can influence social and economic policy reform and development in their own countries and in their region.

Earlier this year, Australia awarded Mauritius 15 short term awards in Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) Teacher Skills, Trade Policy Design, Analysis and Negotiation, Organisational Development, TVET Policy Reform, Agriculture (Livestock) and Ocean Governance & Maritime Security. The Seychelles were also awarded 7 short term awards in Mining Resources – Sustainable Management of Revenue Flows, Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) Teacher Skills, Public Policy – Organisational Development and Ocean Governance & Maritime Security.