New Egyptian ambassador accredited |11 October 2023

Ambassador Attiya presents his credentials to President Ramkalawan

● President briefed on the state of the three Seychellois prisoners in Egypt

Wael M. Nasr Eldin M. Attiya has been officially accredited as Egypt's ambassador to Seychelles. He officially presented his credentials to President Wavel Ramkalawan during a ceremony held at State House yesterday morning.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss the plight of three Seychellois citizens currently incarcerated in Egypt on charges of drug trafficking.

“President Ramkalawan raised the issue of the three Seychellois who are currently serving sentences in Egypt for drug trafficking. I assured the President that they are receiving the best possible care and are in good health in the Egyptian prison,” stated the new ambassador adding that their medical reports were recently reviewed.

“All three of them are in very good condition. Additionally, the non-resident Seychellois ambassador to Egypt will be visiting them in their prison next week. Recently, the three Seychellois detainees were relocated to a renovated facility, and we hope they will benefit from improved conditions,” shared the newly appointed Egyptian ambassador.

Ambassador Attiya also emphasised that the crime the Seychellois were charged with typically carries the death penalty in Egypt, but it was commuted to a life sentence.

He added that “people serving life sentences are not subject to extradition. There are ongoing discussions between the two countries regarding the possibility of signing a bilateral agreement that would allow each country to incarcerate and manage its own prisoners serving sentences abroad, but this is still in the negotiation phase.”

Ambassador Attiya took the opportunity to convey greetings from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt and engaged in discussions about bilateral relations and cooperation, including technical collaborations.

The newly appointed ambassador also highlighted the longstanding relationship between Egypt and Seychelles, dating back to 1919 when the leader of the Seychellois Independence movement was exiled to Seychelles. “He returned to lead the country to independence from British rule at the time. Over the years, our countries have engaged in cooperation, including training and bilateral trade, which doubled in volume last year. We are committed to supporting each other and share membership in organisations such as Comesa and the African Union.

He added that he was working to strengthen the ties between the two nations, and was exploring the possibility of establishing a direct flight between Egypt and Seychelles “to enhance visitor and trade exchanges”.

Ambassador Attiya has primarily served within the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will be based in Nairobi.

Vidya Gappy

Photo: Joena Meme