President Wavel Ramkalawan of Seychelles hosted the Seychelles Ambassadors' Retreat this morning at State House, alongside Vice President Ahmed Afif and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde.
In his opening remarks, President Ramkalawan extended a warm welcome to both locally-based ambassadors and those stationed abroad, encouraging productive discussions during their upcoming working sessions. "It is a pleasure for me to welcome you all at State House today and an opportunity for us to engage in frank discussions on the strategic focus of the country’s foreign policy. This exchange is important as we continue to seek new cooperation prospects, address challenges as well as see how we can further adjust the orientation of our diplomatic ties based on the ever-evolving local, regional and international landscapes. The interest of Seychelles must remain at the forefront of all our actions and decisions in order to increase benefits for the country and our people. On my personal behalf and that of the country, I would like to convey our sincere appreciation for all your hard work and support,” said the President.
During the retreat, the ambassadors shared key concerns and proposals related to their respective jurisdictions, exploring ways to strengthen collaboration between the Department of Foreign Affairs, other ministries, and agencies.
Ambassors present for the retreat included the Ambassador of the Republic of Seychelles in Pretoria, Republic of South Africa, Amb. Claude Morel, Ambassador of the Republic of Seychelles based at Headquarters, Amb. Selby Pillay, Ambassador of the Republic of Seychelles based at Headquarters, Amb. Berly Samson, Ambassador of the Republic of Seychelles in Addis Ababa, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Amb. Conrad Mederic,Ambassador of the Republic of Seychelles in Delhi, Republic of India, Amb. Lalatiana Accouche, Ambassador of the Republic of Seychelles in Beijing, People’s Republic of China, Amb. Anne Lafortune, Ambassador/Permanent Representative of the Republic of Seychelles to the United Nations, New York, United States of America. Amb. Ian Madeleine, Ambassador of the Republic of Seychelles in Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium, Amb. Kenneth Racombo, Ambassador of the Republic of Seychelles in Paris, Republic of France, Amb. Georges Tirant and Ambassador of the Republic of Seychelles in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Amb. Gervais Moumou. Also present was the Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Vivianne Fock-tave.