AU Ordinary Session of the Executive Council

Ambassador Conrad Mederic leads the Seychelles Delegation at the 42nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union.
Centred on this year’s theme: “Accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)”, the discussions are expected to urge Member States to take concrete steps towards implementing the AfCFTA at National level. The AfCFTA is the largest Free Trade Area in the world with a market of approximately 1.3 billion people and over USD 15 billion worth of economic growth and is expected to raise 50 million African people out of poverty through job creation, increased public and private investment and greater infrastructural efficiency.
In his intervention, Ambassador Mederic outlined the necessity of considering that the vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), like Seychelles, suffer from characteristic isolation, which hinders their ability to engage with the African market. To benefit from this year’s theme, he called for more efficient connectivity between SIDS and the mainland and investment in sea-based connectivity to take greater precedence.
Other notable agenda items are discussions on the following reports:
- Report on The Implementation of Activities on the Roadmap of the AU Theme of the Year 2022 On Nutrition. The subsequent inflationary strain on food prices resulting from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, countering dependency on imported food, was applauded as a vital component of development for Africa.
- The Report on the Peace and Security Council, the humanitarian situation on the Continent, and African candidatures to International Organisations.
The Executive Council concluded on 16th February 2023 and will be followed by the Assembly of the Union of the African Union on 18th and 19th February 2023.
Note: The Seychelles Delegation is composed of the Ambassador of the Republic of Seychelles to the Republic of Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Mr Conrad Mederic, Technical Advisor for Climate Change and Energy, Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Wills Agricole, Trade Consultant, Trade Department, Ministry of Finance, National Planning and Trade, Mr. Charles Morin, Second Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of Seychelles in Addis Ababa, Mrs Patricia Ilunga, and Desk Officer for African Union, Foreign Affairs Department Ms Rebecca Julienne.