Sooroojdev Phokeer

Sooroojdev Phokeer is a politician and Ambassador from Mauritius who previously served as Speaker of the National Assembly of Mauritius.^[1][2] He has been served as Ambassador to the United States^[3][4] from 2015 to 2019 and Ambassador to Egypt during 2001.^[5]

Early life

Phokeer was born in 1951.^[6] He grew up in a family of nine children and his father was a civil servant at the Ministry of Works. He received his secondary education at Bhujoharry College in Port Louis, and he later worked at the same school as a teacher of economics.^[7]

Political career

In 1983 Phokeer joined the MSM. Eight years later he was elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1991.^{[citation needed]}

When the MSM returned to government as part of the MSM/MMM coalition in 2000 Phokeer was appointed as ambassador in Egypt. After 4 years as ambassador then Prime Minister Paul Bérenger sacked Phokeer over serious misconduct in Egypt. However, Bérenger appointed Phokeer as an adviser within his government soon after Phokeer's repatriation to Mauritius in 2004.^[8] At the 2005 general elections the MSM was defeated and this prompted Phokeer to travel to England to study law at the University of Huddersfield.^[9]

Soon after its return to government following the 2014 general elections the MSM appointed Phokeer as ambassador of Mauritius in the United States of America.^[10]

After the 2019 general elections Phokeer replaced Maya Hanoomanjee as Speaker of the National Assembly, after actively supporting the MSM's campaign in Constituency No. 8 Moka-Quartier Militaire.^[11]

He resigned from the Speakership and was later succeeded by Adrien Duval.^[12]