New Irish ambassador accredited |06 October 2021

New Irish ambassador accredited

Strengthening of bilateral relations and continued cooperation on climate change issues were among the main topics discussed between President Wavel Ramkalawan and the newly accredited ambassador of Ireland to the Republic of Seychelles, Mary O’Neill.

She presented her credentials to the President at State House yesterday morning in the presence of Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Ambassador Sylvestre Radegonde and the principal secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Vivienne Fock-Tave.

Speaking to the press after presenting her credentials to the President, Ambassador O’Neill said that among the issues discussed, she will primarily focus on climate change actions as the main area of cooperation and partnership with our country.

“This is an area that is really important for Seychelles and for Ireland. It is an area that we work closely together on and it’s an area where we provide support both at the international level and also around specific interventions here in Seychelles,” she said.

“We really appreciate the leadership Seychelles takes in the region and among the small island developing states, in champion for the particular aspects of climate change that affect small island developing states in a particular way, through the level of vulnerability and the threats that climate change presents to these nations.

“We look forward to working closely with the Seychelles as we approach and collectively prepare for COP 26 in November,” said Ambassador O’Neill who also noted that Seychelles and Ireland have in the past worked collaboratively on climate actions and climate adaptation at the United Nations and in other forums.

President Ramkalawan and Ambassador O’Neill also talked on the rich history and shared priorities with links across aviation, the legal sector and in education.

They also discussed the link between the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) and the Shannon College in Ireland and on the possibility for Seychellois studying in Ireland to join the Irish Fellows Award.

Ambassador O’Neill also commended President Ramkalawan on the successful vaccine roll-out campaign and said she hopes to see an increase in visitors from her country to Seychelles.

“So we had a very good discussion, a very warm and friendly discussion and I look forward to deepening and strengthening the relationship between Ireland and the Seychelles,” Ambassador O’Neill said.

Ambassador O’Neill, who will be based in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, is the second Irish ambassador to be accredited to the Republic of Seychelles. She replaces Paul Sherlock who was accredited to Seychelles on November 7, 2017.

Ireland and Seychelles established diplomatic relations on October 9, 1999.

Patrick Joubert