Speeches

Remarks by Chargé d'Affaires, a.i., Stephen Schwartz, at the
U.S. Defense Institute of International Legal Studies Graduation

September 22, 2005

Commanding Officer of the Special Mobile Force
The Director of National Security Service
Commanding Officer of the National Coast Guard
Deputy Solicitor General
DIILS Instructors
Participants and guests

On behalf of the US Embassy, I am pleased to be here for the graduation ceremony of the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies seminar.

First, I would like to thank the Office of the Prime Minister and the Police Headquarters for their support of DIILS.  In particular, I’d like to recognize Mr. Sembhoo from the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr. Reesaul, from the Special Mobile Forces, and Police Commissioner Gopalsingh.  I’d also like to thank the Special Mobile Force for providing the facilities for this week’s training.  I also want to recognize the outstanding work of Moniza Gopaul from my Embassy who has organized the DIILS program locally for the past four years. 

This year, the U.S. Embassy, through its International Military Education Training Program, also known as “IMET”, has awarded grants totaling four point one million Rupees for Mauritian military training.  This week’s seminar is only one example of the diverse training conducted through IMET.  Since 1997, IMET has trained over 40 Mauritian National Police officers in the United States and over 300 individuals during in-country sessions in Mauritius.

The goals of IMET are to further regional stability through effective, mutually beneficial military-to-military relations, and to increase the ability of foreign national military and civil personnel to develop and maintain basic democratic values and protect internationally recognized human rights.

The focus of the DIILS program you completed this week was counterterrorism and peacekeeping.  As a result, you are now better equipped to investigate and establish legal measures to combat terrorism.   You are now more aware of the role you or your organization can play in international peacekeeping operations.   You have the tools to help keep Mauritius safe in our uncertain world.

I challenge you to implement what you have learned this week and truly adapt the casework and lessons to your own circumstances.  

Congratulations for participating in and completing this training seminar.  I am confident that your newly acquired expertise will help elevate the counterterrorism and peacekeeping efforts of Mauritius.  In turn, the productive exchanges between yourselves and the American trainers also enriched their experience and provided new insights and opinions for them to take back to the U.S.

I look forward to the continued cooperation with the government of Mauritius for future IMET programs.  Thank you.