IRADA ZEYNALOVA
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Mauritius
August 1973. Warm sunny morning. The delegation headed by the man with a piercing look and a kind smile arrives at Vnukovo-2 airport (UUWI). These records of the first official visit of the leader and founder of independent Mauritius Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam have been carefully kept by the Russian State Film and Photo Archive ever since. Sir Ramgoolam met the General Secretary of the Communist Party Leonid Brezhnev in April 1972, but there are no photos of this first cautious encounter. They easily became friends. They were almost of the same age and spoke the same language – the language of people who believed in justice and happy future for Africa. They dwelled upon independence, since the USSR had supported African nations that coveted freedom. The Soviet Union recognised Mauritius’s independence almost immediately, just 5 days after Sir Ramgoolam’s announcement.
This visit to the USSR became the first official step that we decided to take together. The Soviet Union had just recovered from the WW2 and had already put a man in space. Mauritius became independent 5 years ago in 1968 and desperately wanted to build its own country. We were two very similar multinational and multicultural nations that had been through a lot.
It’s really important to have a look at these records today. To see how the cortege of cars with Soviet and Mauritian flags enters the Kremlin, to see how the head of the Soviet government Alexei Kosygin welcomes his Mauritian guests. He was the one who had found the way to not only develop his own country but to provide African states with financial support as well.
Even back then both leaders knew that their dream would never come true without doctors, teachers, farmers, and constructors. Without those who ensure security. Former masters would never let Mauritius truly become independent. Today Chagos case is a telling example of their intentions. That’s why Mauritius needs to have friends. That’s why photos taken 52 years ago are still relevant. Sir Ramgoolam places flowers at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier that serves as a symbol of heroism, as a reminder of a holy fight against Nazism. Then he is at Moscow’s metro station and it’s obvious that he is truly impressed. Today our countries have plans to collaborate in the domain of public transport in order to meet the needs of Mauritian people.
The next shot shows us him visiting the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy. We were ready to share our experience back then and we are ready to do it now. It was crucial for the fledgling nation with an agricultural sector based on sugarcane and dependent on European exports and it is crucial now amidst global economic crises.
In August 1973 two Prime-ministers agreed to move forward together. Soviet universities opened their doors to Mauritian intellectuals – future architects, teachers, and economists. Mauritian ports received our research vessels. Similar ones are ready to enter Port Louis within the Big African Expedition. In fact, Russia can include Mauritius in its Space programmes and give the Island an opportunity to use satellites for climate change and crop condition monitoring as well as illegal fishing detecting. We have expertise and we are ready to share. We can take a step towards the future where agricultural drones fertilise soil, satellites monitor cyclones and robots control road traffic. In 1973 Sir Ramgoolam and Alexei Kosygin decided that they wanted to build the world where our people would be free and happy. They talked about justice and importance of having a dream to live and fight for. Things like this never grow old. Our countries are united and ready to overcome all the challenges together. It’s extremely important to remember on the day of the 125-year-anniversary of Sir Ramgoolam. The history continues and these old photos can become its new beginning.
