President to attend SADC Summit |18 August 2012

The President is accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jean-Paul Adam, and Ambassador Claude Morel.

Leaders of the 15-nation SADC will meet to discuss the major regional issues for economic, social and political stability of the Southern African area, including the Madagascar crisis.

The President hosted two meetings in Seychelles – on July 24-26 on Desroches island and August 7-9 on Mahé island – of the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security. The meetings were chaired by South African President Jacob Zuma, in an effort to resolve the crisis in Madagascar.

Also present at the meetings were the Madagascar President of the Transition Authority Andry Rajoelina and the former President of Madagascar, Marc Ravalomanana.

Seychelles joined SADC in 1997 in order to enhance South-South cooperation.
In June 2003 Seychelles withdrew from SADC due to financial and human resource constraints. It rejoined the organisation on August 17, 2008.