AfDB executive director on farewell tour |19 May 2010

Speaking to the press afterwards, Mr Sinon said visiting Mr Michel at State House was officially to thank him for his trust and confidence in nominating him for the post at the bank.

He said it was also a chance to thank the government and people of Seychelles for trusting him to do a good job, not only for Seychelles but for all the other countries he has represented.

Mr Sinon has been speaking for Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Tanzania and Uganda at the AfDB.

He has already paid farewell visits to Kenya and Tanzania and will be visiting the remaining countries after the bank’s annual meeting to be held shortly in Ivory Coast. His contract with the AfDB will finish at the end of next month.

The former Seychelles high commissioner to South Africa took up his latest post in July 2007 after joining the bank three years before that and later working as alternate executive director and adviser to the AfDB board of directors.

Mr Sinon pointed out that after paying all the arrears owed to the AfDB in 2007, Seychelles today has a great partner in the institution, with good relations and cooperation in various fields.

He said his meeting with Mr Michel allowed him to discuss and review all that has been achieved over the years, and to explore ways to ensure another Seychellois occupies a post at the bank. At present only one Seychellois, agricultural economist Alex Mend, remains.

Mr Sinon stressed it is important to have a presence in key organisations where we have good cooperation so as to promote our causes and explore avenues that could be beneficial for our economic and social development.

“It makes a great difference when one is present in person to fight for one’s cause rather than sending a letter, which is only one among many others,” he said.

He said his greatest achievement while working with the bank has been to help gain its guarantee and support for Seychelles’ debt relief from creditors and also its support for our economic reform programme.

Today Seychelles is being used as a success story for countries in the region that are going through the same reform process, he added.

Mr Sinon said he has chosen to come back to Seychelles once his contract with the AfDB ends.