Seychelles represented at UNESCO and the Ministerial Conference of ‘Organisation International de la Francophonie’ in Paris

Mrs MacSuzy Mondon, Minister for Education, is in Paris heading a delegation at the 37th session of the UNESCO General Conference
UNESCO’s General Conference comes at a critical time for the organisation as it undergoes various reforms and faces major financial challenges. As such, the main purpose of 37th session is to shape strategy and establish a viable roadmap for the coming eight years.
Minister Mondon participated in the Leaders Forum on the theme “UNESCO mobilising and contributing to the post-2015 agenda through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information”
Minister Mondon, was received by Irana Bokova, Director General of UNESCO to whom she delivered a message on behalf of President James A Michel.
UNESCO’s ongoing cooperation programme with Seychelles and future avenues of collaboration in areas including: education, the blue economy, youth, media development, social transformation and cultural industries were themes discussed in their consultation.
Mrs Mondon reiterated the need for UNESCO to place stronger emphasis in its programmes on addressing the vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States. Furthermore, she urged UNESCO to support the SIDS community in their preparations for the SAMOA Conference in 2014 and insisted that additional support be given in implementing the outcomes of the conference.
A speech by Minister Mondon will be delivered in UNESCO’s General Policy Debate later today. In addition, minister Mondon also met with he UN Special Rapporteur on Education, Mr Kishore Singh, who had recently been on mission to Seychelles.
Whilst in Paris, Minister Mondon, is representing Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jean-Paul Adam at the Ministerial Conference of ‘Organisation International de la Francophonie’ held between the 7 to 8th November.
This Conference will be deliberating on the ongoing political situation in its member states- namely, Madagascar, Guinea, Mali, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau and DRC.
The Francophonie Conference will also evaluate the progress made by OIF in implementing the various commitments taken at the last conference in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kinshasa, in 2012. The next Summit will be held in Dakar, Senegal in 2014.