Seychelles and Mauritius have kick-started discussions for the 13th session of the Commission for Bilateral Cooperation at senior Officials level on Monday 3rd April 2023.
During her opening remarks the Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs and co-chair of the above-mentioned 13th session of the Seychelles-Mauritius Commission on Bilateral Cooperation, Ambassador Vivianne Fock Tave, stated “Our partnership is solid, unwavering, nurtured over the years, based on values and interests that we share. And our meeting this week, will allow us to further consolidate and enhance this partnership. However, we should aim to achieve tangible results. We have an obligation, therefore, to be more committed to not only the implementation of the decisions that we will agree upon during our deliberations but to also take bolder, more innovative measures to build a new paradigm of mutually beneficial, forward- looking cooperation initiatives”.
Ambassador Fock Tave also highlighted that Seychelles and Mauritius have common interests and concerns at both regional and international levels. “We must have a more integrated approach for addressing jointly emerging global issues of common concerns and interests on important international platforms. It is only by working closely together can we ensure that their agendas are supportive of and complement our development agendas,” she added.
Mr. Ravindranath Sawmy, Minister Counsellor and Head of the Bilateral Africa Directorate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade of the Republic of Mauritius, and representing the co-chair, elaborated on the need to “formulate joint strategies, explore new areas of cooperation, amplify our voices in promoting the interests of SIDS and advancing collective economic development.”
He added that with the support from our regional partners, “we can work towards making a positive contribution to the work of the United Nation Security Council and promoting global peace and security while also raising the concerns of the SIDS.”
The programme will comprise discussions between representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade of Mauritius and various Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Seychelles on Monday 3rd and Tuesday 4th April, followed by a ministerial segment to be co-chaired by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Seychelles, Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade of the Republic of Mauritius, Hon. Alan Ganoo, on Thursday 6th April at Maison Quéau Quinssy.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism – Foreign Affairs Department, Republic of Seychelles.