Follow us on:

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube

Archive -Seychelles

South Africa and Seychelles gear up for first joint commission |19 August 2014

The first senior officials’ meeting between Seychelles and South Africa, in preparation for the first joint commission between the two countries, established in accordance with the General Cooperation Agreement that was initialed on January 30, 2007 in Addis Ababa, took place in Victoria, Seychelles, on August 14, 2014.

Ambassador Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, principal secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed the Seychelles delegation and Ambassador Ebrahim Saley, deputy director general, Africa Bilateral, Department of International Relation and Cooperation (DIRCO) led the delegation from South Africa.

During the meeting both sides stressed the excellent ties of friendship and cooperation that exist between the two countries and expressed a mutual desire to consolidate that relationship, through the establishment of a joint commission.

According to a communique from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting was held in a spirit of historical friendship whereby both sides acknowledged the necessity to collaborate across a variety of sectors including employment, social development, trade and investment, agriculture and fisheries, education and human resource development, environment and renewable energy, youth and sports, military and police, tourism and culture.

Ambassador Loustau-Lalanne noted that this high level meeting presents unparalleled opportunities for Seychelles owing to the comprehensive nature of the proposed collaboration.

“Such extensive cooperation across a broad spectrum of themes has the added benefit of stimulating people-to-people linkages which is an essential component of our socio-economic development,” remarked Ambassador Loustau-Lalanne.

Seychelles reiterated the importance of the ‘Blue Economy,’ and both sides agreed to promote the concept in light of the upcoming Small Islands Developing States Summit to be held in Samoa.

The two countries remained cognisant of the importance of the Indian Ocean and pledged to work together towards the sustainable development of the shared oceanic territory.  

In addition, Seychelles and South Africa would continue to offer support for each other at international fora.

The countries expressed their satisfaction with the successful deliberations of the senior officials meeting and agreed to hold the 1st Joint Commission in South Africa in 2015 at mutually convenient dates.

» Back to Archive