247th Anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America : U.S Ambassador salutes the democratic values of Mauritius

The U.S. Ambassador to Mauritius Henry Jardine and his spouse, Mrs. Kathleen Jardine, hosted a reception at their residence in Floreal on 6th July to celebrate the 247th Anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America.

The celebration saw the presence of the President of the Republic, Prithvirajsing Roopun, the Vice President of the Republic, Eddy Boissezon, the Deputy Prime Minister, Steven Obeegadoo, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alan Ganoo, the Leader of the Opposition Xavier-Luc Duval as well as other Minister, Members of Parliament, Members of the diplomatic corps, among others. 

The celebrations kicked off with the American national anthem and the Mauritian national anthem. In his address to the guests and members of the press present, the U.S Ambassador stated that the 4th of July is a time for reflection. “The United States was founded on an idea that was revolutionary in the 18th century and, in many ways, remains revolutionary today. Our Founders launched a democratic experiment that every generation for 247 years has sought to redeem and to fulfil – the building of “A More Perfect Union” – as expressed in the Preamble to the Constitution. Certainly, the United States has had it challenges in striving towards this goal, and we continue to do so,” he stated. 

The grand event’s theme was Jazz. Ambassador Jardine underlined that jazz and democracy share a deep connection. “Jazz and democracy share a profound connection that speaks to the essence of human expression, freedom and choice, and in many ways, those ideas are also reflected in our important partnership with Mauritius,” he uttered. 

Henry Jardine also saluted the democratic values of Mauritius and highlighted that the common elements of jazz and democracy are also vibrant in the partnership with Mauritius. “We share the values of inclusivity, openness and tolerance. This commitment has also ensured that Mauritius is an example for democratic values and traditions in the African and Indian Ocean region. The United States is working with partners in Mauritius’s private, public, non-governmental and non-profit sectors to promote bilateral and regional cooperation and inclusive policies to foster good governance, human rights, environmental stewardship and equitable development,” he said. 

In the same line, Ambassador Jardine stated that the advent of the new U.S embassy, due to be completed in 2026, will provide a larger, more functional platform to advance U.S-Mauritian relations. At a total project cost of approximately $300 million USD (Rs17 billion), the embassy aims to showcase the best of American architecture, engineering and construction expertise. Henry Jardine also seized the occasion to highlight the many avenues of cooperation, particularly in areas such as the fight against illicit trafficking and smuggling among others. “Our U.S law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and DEA, are working with Mauritius to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, as well as counter other illicit trafficking and smuggling,” he affirmed.