His Excellency Mr Egil Thorsås, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Norway to the Republic of Mauritius, presented his credentials to His Excellency Mr Dharambeer Gokhool, G.C.S.K., President of the Republic of Mauritius, at State House this morning.
The Ambassador was accompanied, among others, by Mr Matthew Taylor, Honorary Consul of Norway in Mauritius.
He will reside in Maputo, where he also serves as Ambassador-designate and Head of Mission.
During the meeting, both sides reviewed the longstanding and cordial bilateral relations between Mauritius and Norway, formally established in 1973 and underpinned by shared values, including respect for sovereignty, the rule of law, democracy, peace, harmony, and good governance.
Discussions focused on existing areas of cooperation, notably in air services, the blue economy, marine resources management, the fight against illegal fishing, trade relations, and tourism.
President Gokhool and Ambassador Thorsås also explored new avenues for collaboration in areas of mutual interest, including education, renewable energy, particularly electricity generation through wave technology and innovative desalination solutions.
President Gokhool highlighted the challenges associated with solid waste management, including the Mare Chicose landfill, and underscored the need for enhanced technical cooperation in this field, as well as in the development of modern sewage systems.
Maritime security and safety also featured prominently in the discussions. In this context, the ongoing establishment of the National Maritime Information Sharing Centre (NMISC) was addressed.
The potential contribution of Norway, particularly through its expertise in Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) for real-time vessel tracking and maritime safety, was acknowledged as a valuable area for cooperation.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to review the ongoing collaboration under the EAF-Nansen Programme, including the work of the research vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen.