Seychelles was nominated for Chairmanship of the newly formed Commission for Islands established during the Africa Action Summit held on 16th November 2016 in Marrakech, Morocco.

The summit was held in the margins of 22nd session of the Conference of Parties COP22 to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The African Action Summit was hosted by his Majesty the King of Morocco Mohammed VI and attended by several African Heads of State. Seychelles was represented by President Danny Faure and a delegation of senior government officials currently in Morocco.

The summit sought to discuss and adopt initiatives and projects promoting sustainable development in countries across Africa, whilst implementing a more effective and systematic approach that addresses the impacts of climate change and encourages further sustainable development on the continent. Apart from the islands commission, two other commissions were formed during this summit to mobilize greater international solidarity in addressing the vulnerability of Africa to climate change.

“We are very honoured to have been nominated to lead the island commission set up during the Africa Action Summit as part of our common efforts to build an African continent that is resilient to climate change and committed towards implementing the sustainable development goals. We commend the Kingdom of Morocco for spearheading this important initiative that will further ensure that the voice of the islands of Africa is heard on key global issues and that we contribute towards the building of a new world order that is inclusive, that meets the legitimate aspirations of African populations and safeguards the interests of future generations,” said President Faure.

During the summit, the African heads of state renewed their commitment to implementing various initiatives aimed at building the resilience of Africa to climate change.

These initiatives include the “Adaptation of African Agriculture” initiative, known as “triple A”, the “Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel” and the “Conservation of the Lake Chad Basin Ecosystem”.

The Summit was also attended by the Secretary General of United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, the President of the Republic of France, François Hollande, and the President of the African Development Bank (AFDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, among others.