High Commissioner to Mauritius

Media release

13 February 2014

Ms Susan Coles

Today I announce the appointment of Ms Susan Coles as Australia's next High Commissioner to Mauritius with non-resident accreditation to Comoros, Madagascar and Seychelles.

Ms Coles is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and has previously served overseas as Special Advisor at the APEC Secretariat in Singapore, and as First Secretary at the Australian Embassy and Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Vienna. Until recently, Ms Coles was Director of the Department's WTO and Regional Trade Policy Section.

Ms Coles holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Adelaide, and, as a Rhodes Scholar, completed a post-graduate Bachelor of Civil Laws specialising in International Law at the University of Oxford. She speaks French.

Australia and Mauritius enjoy warm relations based on strong people-to-people links, particularly in education. Mauritius had almost 2000 students enrolled at Australian education institutions in 2013 - amongst the highest number for any African country. Australia has also supported Mauritian students through the Australia Awards program.

Mauritius and Seychelles are important partners for Australia in promoting cooperation on maritime security, economic growth and sustainable development across the region, including through the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). Australia assumed the chair of IORA, headquartered in Port Louis, in November 2013 for a two-year term.

Ms Coles is expected to take up her appointment in March 2014 replacing Ms Sandra Vegting.