(Seychelles News Agency) - The Seychelles’ President Danny Faure has sent a message of congratulations to Pravind Jugnauth on his appointment as the Prime Minister of Mauritius.

Jugnauth succeeds his father, Anerood Jugnauth, who resigned.

In his letter to the Mauritian Prime Minister, Faure emphasised the special bond between the two countries given their common heritage as island nations.

"Our shared vibrant culture, language and history places even greater emphasis on our vision for a shared future together and our place in the world as island neighbours in the Indian Ocean," said Faure.

The head of state of Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, gave his pledge to work closely with Jugnauth to preserve and foster the inalienable link of friendship between the two countries. 

President Faure has expressed the need for close cooperation to promote the common interests of the Seychelles and Mauritius as small island states within the Indian Ocean Commission, the African Union, the United Nations and as well as other organizations.

Climate change, fisheries and the common marine spaces of Mauritius and Seychelles are other areas the Seychelles' President wishes to deepen existing relationships and find new opportunities to develop between the two countries.

"Your Excellency, during your tenure as Prime Minister, it is my hope that through actions such as the sharing of the Mascarene Plateau our two nations continue to work closely to that end and serve as an example to the region and the world of how states can effectively collaborate in the spirit of fraternity," said Faure.

In 2009, Seychelles and Mauritius made a proposal to the United Nations for the shared management of the Mascarene plateau region, an extended continental shelf of around 396,000 sq km.

The UN adopted the submission in March 2011, and the two countries signed treaties for the management of the area in March 2012.