Ambassador Pierre presents credentials to Uneca |14 October 2017

Seychelles’ ambassador David Pierre has presented his credentials to Vera Songwe, the under secretary general of the United Nations and executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa.

Ambassador Pierre took the opportunity to extend greetings to Ms Songwe from President Danny Faure.

Discussions with Ms Songwe centred on an array of issues including regional integration and trade, governance, social development and innovation.

Ambassador Pierre congratulated the Uneca for the important role it plays in helping to fight corruption and illicit financial flows on the continent.

The ambassador spoke about the importance of effective governance in relation to the continent and stated that effective governance was vital for Africa’s sustainable development, poverty eradication and socio-economic transformation and that it is a challenge that can only be overcome by all stakeholders working together

The ambassador expressed his appreciation with the fact that Uneca is helping to come up with key strategies for development and intra-regional trade for the continent and stated that it would help to produce considerable economic gains for Africa as well as play a significant role in accelerating economic growth, poverty reduction and enhancing food and energy security in Africa.

The ambassador also expressed his concern about the continent currently trading very little with itself and stated that the current situation should improve.

Ambassador Pierre also stated that Africa was increasingly becoming a key player in acquiring, generating and applying knowledge to development challenges but said that more needs to be done to make innovation play its part in the quest for transformation and diversification of the African economies and that Uneca can play an important role in supporting member states to put in place a favourable innovation environment to address their pressing needs, such as industrialisation and job and wealth creation.

In concluding, the ambassador touched on the issue of social development on the continent and stated that Africa needs to translate the steady economic growth and positive socio-economic indicators into benefits and opportunities for all men and women on the continent and reminded Ms Songwe that even if Africa is experiencing economic growth, we are still seeing persistent inequality, poverty and inequity in access to social services and economic opportunities especially for the youth, aged persons, persons with disabilities and women.

Ms Songwe thanked the ambassador for the greetings and for raising so many important and relevant issues and commended Seychelles for its leading role, in Africa, on matters like governance, human rights, human development, climate change, the Blue economy and the environment.

She further commended the working relations between Seychelles and Uneca.