Seychelles’ consuls in Europe hold key meeting |06 July 2009

The regional strategic meeting in Brussels was the first to be held under the auspices of any of the country’s embassies and was an initiative of the consuls themselves.

It will also provide constructive input into the bi-annual consuls’ conferences, the next one being planned for October.

A total of seven consuls – from Belgium, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain (two) and Ukraine – attended the meeting. The consuls from Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Serbia and Montenegro, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia could not make it, mostly for reasons beyond their control.

Honorary consul general Joan Gaspart Solves from Barcelona helped by providing accommodation at his Brussels Husa President Park Hotel, while the Seychelles Tourist Office in Paris – headed by director Bernadette Willemin and covering France, Portugal, Spain and the Benelux countries – co-sponsored the event.

The meeting was seen as an opportunity to work closely with the consuls in the region as well as to coordinate with those consuls outside the area.
Air Seychelles was represented by its manager for public relations and communications, Glenn Pillay.

Opening the meeting, Seychelles’ ambassador to the European Union Barry Faure thanked the consuls on behalf of President James Michel and Minister for Foreign Affairs Patrick Pillay for coming to Brussels.

He urged them to continue putting their expertise, resources, knowledge, skills and network of contacts at the service of Seychelles, particularly since the country has recently embarked on a new journey as it grapples with its development challenges and external crises such as the impact of the global economic downturn and attacks by Somali pirates.

“The Seychellois people count on each one of us and on our international partners for understanding, collaboration and support,” he said.
 
“These are issues that can only spur us to become more resilient and reflect harder on practical ways and means to help Seychelles.”

The embassy of Seychelles in Brussels has reported that the consuls ended their meeting on an enthusiastic note.

One of them is quoted as writing: “The meeting was significant step to unite our efforts to work much more effectively for Seychelles, and there is no doubt the results will be visible very soon.”

The embassy said the meeting’s many recommendations and conclusions are to be compiled and forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the President’s Office for consideration and approval.
 
The consuls decided, among other things, that they will meet annually in Brussels as well as interacting more with each other and with the embassy.