Press release

Seychelles Government participates at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers in Windhoek, Namibia

March 19, 2019
StateHouse

The Principal Secretary in the Department of the Blue Economy, Mr. Kenneth Racombo, led the Seychelles delegation to the SADC Council of Ministers that took place from 15th -16th March 2019 in Windhoek, Namibia. The meeting was preceded by the Standing Committee of Senior Officials and the meeting of the Finance Committee from 11th – 13th March 2019.

Hosted under the working theme of “Promoting Infrastructure Development and Youth Empowerment for Sustainable growth”, the event saw SADC Member States’ Executives addressing a number of projects and mechanisms that are set for the continued development of the region’s Regional Integration Agenda.

In the development of the SADC Vision 2050 and the Strategic Plan 2020 – 2030, Council endorsed that the Blue Economy issues should also be incorporated in the SADC documents. One key objective for SADC is industrialization in the region and member states benefitted from an update on progress being undertaken so far. Acknowledging the potential economic activities that can be reaped from the Ocean, SADC agreed to work closely with Seychelles to identify key initiatives for the development of the Blue Economy concept in the Eastern and Southern region.

The SADC Coastal states request SADC secretariat to facilitate a dedicated forum to discuss maritime security with the view of mobilizing and leveraging additional resources from International Cooperating Partners for a regional project.

The Executive Secretary of SADC expressed condolences to Seychelles for the loss of former President France Albert Rene.

The meeting also welcomed Seychellois Ambassador Joseph Nourrice as the new SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Cooperate Affairs.

The Seychelles delegation also included H. E. Mrs. Marie-Antoinette Rose-Quatre, Seychelles High Commissioner accredited to SADC; Ms. Amenda Padayachy, Director General for International Cooperation and Regional Integration in the Department of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Terry Rose, Second Secretary in the Seychelles High Commission in Pretoria and Mr. Jean-Luc Louise, Third Secretary and Desk Officer for SADC in the Department of Foreign Affairs.