Minister for Foreign Affairs, The Hon Julie Bishop MP:

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

Australia and Mauritius enjoy warm relations based on strong economic and people-to-people links, particularly in education and marine economic activity. Over the last few years, education institutions in Mauritius and other Indian Ocean island states have built fruitful relationships with their Australian counterparts.

Mauritius is a growing financial hub for the African mainland and Australian businesses. Australia works closely with Mauritius and its island neighbours on maritime security, economic growth and sustainable development, including through the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and the newly established Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub.

Ms Dee is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and was most recently Director, External Budget Section. In Canberra Ms Dee has held a range of positions in DFAT, including as Director, Sri Lanka and Maldives Section; India Political and Regional Section; and Indonesia Economic and Transnational Issues Section. She has served overseas at Australia's missions in Jakarta and Harare.

Ms Dee holds a Master of Arts (Foreign Affairs and Trade) from Monash University and a Bachelor of Business (Journalism) from the Queensland University of Technology. She is married with two children. Ms Dee is expected to take up her appointment in July 2017.

I thank outgoing High Commissioner Susan Coles for her contribution to advancing Australia's interests in Mauritius since 2014.

Distributed by APO on behalf of Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.