French ambassador calls on National Assembly Speaker   |03 October 2023

(L to r) Mr Albert, Ambassador Berkeley-Christmann, Speaker Mancienne and deputy Clerk Faure in a souvenir photograph

 Discussions focus on improving parliamentary relations

The French ambassador to Seychelles, Olivia Berkeley-Christmann, paid a courtesy call on National Assembly Speaker Roger Mancienne yesterday morning to discuss the parliamentary relations between France and Seychelles.

Ambassador Berkeley-Christmann was accompanied by Martin Albert, a diplomat from the Africa and Indian Ocean Department of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, whereas Hon. Mancienne was accompanied by the deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Alexandria Faure.

The ambassador began by thanking the Speaker and noted that this meeting was important to continually improve parliamentary relations between France and Seychelles.

The meeting was also to introduce Mr Albert, whose role as a diplomat in the Indian Ocean spans across Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles. In his current visit to Seychelles, Mr Albert is in the process of engaging with both government and the legislature with the goal of reinvigorating bilateral cooperation and promoting the engagement of Francophone groups within the Indian Ocean.

Speaker Mancienne noted these pertinent points and agreed that the reinforcement of parliamentary relations between the two countries was long overdue.

Discussions touched on the important roles of the International Affairs Committee (IAC) and the Defence and Security Committee (DSC) of the National Assembly and how their responsibilities and ongoing mandates promote the interconnectedness and development of cooperation between various countries and Seychelles.

Mr Mancienne and Ambassador Berkeley-Christmann also briefly discussed the potential opportunities of education and development on a parliamentary level regarding mutually stimulating topics such as the promotion of democracy and environmental protection, with an emphasis on Seychelles’ youth participation.

He concluded that despite the country’s small size and that of the National Assembly, there was a strong willingness to move forward with such developments in parliamentary cooperation.

Ambassador Berkeley-Christmann also thanked the Speaker for his engagement.

Press release from the National Assembly secretariat