Seychelles participates in the 38th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly |18 February 2025

Delegates in a souvenir photo

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde, represented President Wavel Ramkalawan at the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU), held on February 15-16 in Addis Ababa, under the theme: ‘Justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations’.

The highlight of the two-day event was the election of new senior leadership of the African Union Commission (AUC). Mahmoud Ali Youssouf from the Republic of Djibouti was elected as the new chairperson of the Commission, and Selma Malika Haddadi from the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria was elected as the new deputy chairperson. They will both serve a four-year term.

Member states took this opportunity to thank the outgoing chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, for his commendable leadership over the past eight years.

The Assembly also witnessed the handing over ceremony of the chairperson of the Bureau of the AU as João Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, took over from Mohamed Ould El Ghazouani, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.

On the margins of the Assembly of the AU, Minister Radegonde presented the report of the Africa Island States Climate Commission (AISCC) at the annual Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), chaired by Dr William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya.

In his intervention, Minister Radegonde reiterated the Commission’s urgent call for a progressive transition toward green and blue economies, fostering sustainability, resilience and environmental protection for future generations.

Furthermore, he urged all partners to continue assisting member states in securing climate finance through mechanisms such as the Green Climate Fund and the newly established Loss and Damage Fund.

On behalf of Minister Peggy Vidot, Minister Radegonde met with the director-general of the Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya, accompanied by PS Valentin and Dr Cynthia Noshir. During the meeting, Minister Radegonde expressed gratitude to Africa CDC for its support to Seychelles through capacity building, training, equipment and human resources, which have contributed to improving Seychelles’ health system.

Additionally, Minister Radegonde engaged in bilateral meetings with Japan’s parliamentary vice-minister for Foreign Affairs, Eri Arfiya, and Germany’s Special Envoy for their UN Security Council candidature, Wolfgang Dold, whereby they discussed the strengthening of diplomatic ties and exploring new avenues of cooperation.

Minister Radegonde also attended the 3rd Extraordinary Summit of African Peer Review Forum of Heads of State and Government where Seychelles was featured as a case study in the African Governance Report (AGR 2025) for its leadership in the Blue Economy sector.

On February 16, Minister Radegonde and Alhaji Timothy Musa Kabba, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Sierra Leone, signed a Joint Communiqué to formally establish diplomatic relations between the two countries as a first step to cooperate in areas of mutual interest.

Minister Radegonde was accompanied by Conrad Mederic, permanent representative of Seychelles to the AU; Veronique Morel, director for Regional Affairs Division; Patricia Ilunga, second secretary at the embassy of Seychelles in Ethiopia, and Vanessa Seth, AU desk officer.

Press release from the department of Foreign Affairs