U.S. Embassy organizes Forensic Disciplines Exchange in Mauritius

The opening ceremony for the Forensic Disciplines Exchange Event, organized by the Office of Security Cooperation of the U.S. Embassy to Mauritius and Seychelles, was held this morning at the new Mauritius Revenue Authority Integrated Customs Clearing Center (ICCC) in Le Chaland. Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and U.S. Embassy Chargée D’Affaires Judes E. DeBaere gave remarks at the event.

The five-day Forensic Disciplines Exchange Event, funded by the United States Department of Defense, is an exchange between the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), and Mauritian civil and military experts, including 40 representatives from the Mauritius Forensic Science Laboratory, the Mauritius Revenue Authority, and the Mauritius Police Force. Nine U.S. facilitators from the United States Army’s SETAF-AF have travelled to Mauritius to participate in the exchange event, which will be held from May 16 to 20, 2022.

The exchange will focus on topics related to forensic science, crime scene investigation, and evidence preservation and presentation.  The event will bolster U.S. and Mauritius capabilities to exploit crime scenes and evidence to properly investigate crimes and prosecute criminals, particularly in the maritime domain.

In her remarks Chargée d’Affaires Judes E. DeBaere said, “Our efforts will enable Mauritian investigators and prosecutors to conduct complex criminal investigations at sea, to prepare strong cases for prosecution, and to defend against legal challenges.  It will also allow your U.S. counterparts to learn from your unique experience as a maritime state.”

“I wish to thank the United States’ authorities on behalf of all our local stakeholders for proposing this event. Allow me also to seize this opportunity to thank the U.S. Embassy for funding exchange programs that have addressed the specific capacity needs of 264 Mauritians in the last five years. I make a personal appeal to all participants to make the most out of these five days of intensely practical and technical activities,” Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth said during his remarks.

The exchange will take place at several sites in Mauritius including the new Mauritius Revenue Authority ICCC, the National Coast Guard training facility at Le Chaland, the Port Louis Harbour, and the Mauritius Forensics Science Laboratory in Reduit.