Mauritius Appoints 2 Ambassadors in Paris

The Mauritian embassy in Paris has recently seen a unique development with the appointment of two ambassadors. Vijayen Valaydon, who has served as ambassador since 2017, continues in his role alongside Raj Sookun, who was promoted to ambassador a few months ago after previously holding the position of minister-counselor within the same embassy.

Normally, such a situation would lead to the expectation that one of the ambassadors would be recalled to Mauritius or reassigned to another country.

However, officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs view this dual-ambassador arrangement as entirely normal. Joyker Nayeck, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, emphasized that the two ambassadors have distinct responsibilities: Valaydon is tasked with managing bilateral relations, while Sookun focuses on multilateral relations, particularly in connection with UNESCO and the International Organization of La Francophonie.

This unique dual appointment has raised eyebrows among members of the diplomatic community.

An experienced former diplomat noted that this is the first instance of such a scenario occurring.

Similarly, a retired employee from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remarked that throughout his extensive career, he had never witnessed a situation where two ambassadors operated simultaneously under these conditions.

He suggested that such an arrangement is likely reserved for those who are considered favorites of the current administration, allowing them to maintain their positions in the embassy even after receiving a promotion while the incumbent ambassador remains in place.

Source: l’Express