Outgoing Seychellois ambassadors pay farewell call on President Ramkalawan |03 February 2021
Ambassador Ally (far left), Ambassador Jumeau and Ambassador Rose Quatre in a souvenir photograph with President Ramkalawan (Photo: Louis Toussaint)
Three outgoing ambassadors – Ronny Jumeau, Derick Ally and Marie-Antoinette Rose Quatre – paid a farewell visit to President Wavel Ramkalawan yesterday at State House.
The meeting which lasted for two hours was a time for the ambassadors to share their experience with the head of state.
Ronny Jumeau was the Seychelles ambassador to the United States, Canada, some Caribbean countries and Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) before his retirement in December 2020.
After the meeting with President Ramkalawan, Ambassador Jumeau said: “I have been working for the government for 42 years, since 1978 and now I am retiring from government services but will still continue to work in another capacity. In the diplomatic cadre, what I have been through is a very interesting and enriching experience. It was not only an opportunity to represent Seychelles to the world but it was also how the world views Seychelles through our services as ambassadors. This is the way you measure the success of your mission.”
One of the things the three outgoing ambassadors shared with the President was the experiences they gained throughout these years.
“We discussed on how best we can serve our country in these most difficult times. Seychelles needs everyone who can contribute to get us out from where we are,” said Ambassador Jumeau.
What next for Ambassador Jumeau? “It has been 13 years since I have been in New York. I have had such a ride when it comes to the international scene on Oceans, small island developing states among others. I am in no way prepare to retire from that. I have made a name in the domain of Ocean, conservation, climate change and sustainable development. Even if I am retiring from the government, as a civil citizen, I am joining hands with the civil society and non-governmental organisations to help in that domain. I am already doing some work pro bono via emails to see how we can propel Seychelles in the forefront.”
Ambassador Jumeau concluded by saying that “the three of us are proud to have been able to serve our country at this level and we offered our services to the country specially at this extremely difficult time, how can our country use our experience, our knowledge, our expertise that we gained over all these years to the service of our country and specially to push young Seychellois to take our place and lead from the front. It’s been an extremely rewarding time in the service of my country and I do not regret any of it and I am looking forward to the next stage in my life. One door is closing, another door is opening, I am stepping through it, and here I come!”
Ambassador Jumeau was first appointed to the post of Seychelles’ ambassador to the United States of America and Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) in 2007, after which he was assigned a different post in 2012, serving as ambassador for Climate Change and Small Island Developing States, cumulating to date all the afore-mentioned posts in a long-serving diplomatic career.
Dereck Ally was the high commissioner of Seychelles in London for four years, succeeding Marie-Pierre Lloyd in 2017.
“During my tenure I also represented Seychelles in other European countries. For three years, I had a very enriching and rewarding time. But for the last year, I could not do much due to the pandemic and many things changed. Nevertheless I am happy for the things we were able to achieve,” shared Ambassador Ally.
What is his next step? “Now I am looking to the horizon to see if anything hooks my attention or if I may be of interest to others also,” said Ambassador Ally.
For Marie-Antoinette Rose Quatre, she was accredited as high commissioner of Seychelles to South Africa and to Botswana in 2017 and 2018 respectively. She recently completed her term and noted that “it has been an enriching and fruitful experience. I am happy to have been able to serve my country as an ambassador. Our discussion with the head of state was mainly to see how with this experience we gained, we can keep contributing to Seychelles. I will for sure join the private sector.”
Asked if she will be back in politics, Ambassador Rose noted that “there is a younger generation of politicians doing the work already and I am now a private citizen!”
Vidya Gappy