Chargé d’Affaires Satrajit Sardar
Fourth of July Reception
Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 17:00
Le Méridien – Zoli Mamzel Restaurant
His Excellency Mr. Prithvirajsing Roopun, President of the Republic
Honorable Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister
Honorable Ministers
Excellencies Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Fellow Americans
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Good evening.
Thank you for joining me and my wife Janet, along with our team at the U.S. Embassy, to mark the 246th Anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America. A special thanks to our host, Le Meridien, for this beautiful arrangement. Preparing events like this are not easy, and we are grateful for their support.
I would also like acknowledge the hard work by all of my colleagues at the U.S. Embassy to organize this wonderful event. Along with our acting Deputy Chief of Mission Andy Kelly and our Management Officer William Boyle, our entire team has worked tirelessly to make sure our first in person National Day event in two years is a successful one. And by seeing so many people enjoying themselves, I think they have succeeded. Please join me in thanking them.
As many of you know, my family and I only recently arrived in Mauritius. While we have been able to visit a few areas of this incredible country, we had yet to meet the wonderful members of this community. So, Janet and I are honored by your presence tonight. And it only seems fitting to do so during the U.S. Independence Day event.
For those of you who have been in the United States on July 4, it is a time for family and friends to come together to share a meal and each other’s company, to laugh and reminisce. But it is fundamentally a time to reflect, from where we have been to where we are going. The American experience, since the founding of our country, is based on shared challenges. The American founding fathers, and their successors, certainly faced adversity in trying to establish their dream of a perfect Union. And while the trajectory of the United States has not been perfect, it has been an experience that has allowed us to grow stronger and persevere together.
In the past few years, the United States, Mauritius, and the rest of the world faced a challenge the American founding fathers could not have imagined. The COVID-19 pandemic attacked us in ways that led to tragic consequences for families, communities and countries. But it underscored that even through the most difficult of times, we can come together as friends and partners to face our challenges together.
When the vaccine became available, the United States worked quickly and closely with the Mauritian Ministry of Health to donate and distribute more than 380,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine to Mauritius, savings thousands of lives. We also worked closely with authorities to distribute personal protective equipment to Mauritian health care workers to perform the heroic task of saving more lives. While the pandemic is not over, and Mauritius, the United States, and countries around the world are trying to determine how best to live and thrive with this challenge, we can acknowledge the importance of partnerships.
Now, in line with the rich bilingual tradition of this country, please allow me to say a few words in French.
La relation entre les États-Unis et l’ile Maurice s’étend au-delà de notre collaboration suite à la pandémie de COVID-19, par exemple, dans le domaine de la formation et de l’éducation, l’ambassade des États-Unis à Port Louis a facilité des programmes d’études et d’échanges pour 147 Mauriciens au cours des cinq dernières années. A savoir que 323 Mauriciens étudient actuellement aux États-Unis dans le cadre de programmes sponsorisés par des universités américaines. Cette riche tradition d’échanges renforce les liens entre nos deux pays. Pour aller plus loin, dans le domaine de la sécurité régionale, l’AFRICOM a lancé cette année la onzième édition de Cutlass Express, un exercice qui rassemble les forces maritimes des États-Unis, de Maurice et de 12 autres pays d’Afrique de l’Est, de l’ouest de l’océan Indien ainsi que ceux d’Europe pour partager leur expertise dans le but de renforcer la sûreté et la sécurité régionale. De plus, au cours des cinq dernières années, une centaine de Mauriciens ont participé à nos programmes d’éducation et de formation militaires.
Ces efforts reflètent l’engagement des États-Unis envers l’ile Maurice.
Sur le plan climatique, les États-Unis et l’ile Maurice partagent le même objectif, celui de lutter contre le réchauffement planétaire. L’ambassade des États-Unis soutient les efforts de Maurice à travers plusieurs initiatives notamment la dispense de subventions.
D’ailleurs, nous avons eu l’occasion d’inviter un scientifique du ministère de l’économie bleue aux États-Unis afin qu’il puisse participer à un programme au sujet du changement climatique.
Notre collaboration économique s’illustre par le commerce bilatéral s’élevant à plus de 330 millions de dollars.
