The Permanent Representative of the Republic of Seychelles to the African Union, Ambassador Conrad Mederic, headed the Seychelles delegation to the 45th Ordinary Session of the African Union Executive Council, which took place from 18th to the 19th of July 2024 in Accra, Ghana.
In the opening of the session, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ghana, Her Excellency Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, reiterated her nation’s commitment to furthering the goals of Agenda 2063 and Agenda 2030 in her opening remarks. She stressed the importance of seizing opportunities and addressing the challenges that Africa is confronted with.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki, recognised that the operationalisation of the African Union Peace Fund and the adoption of the principle of financing African peacekeeping missions from perennial resources are part of a line of significant sectorial progress.
In his intervention, Ambassador Mederic highlighted the African Union Commission’s Report on the Union’s involvement in the G20, noting the recent permanent membership status granted at the G20 Summit. He commended the African Union for this significant milestone and applauded the focus on Climate Action as a key agenda item. The Ambassador stressed the importance of advocating for financial commitments under the Paris Agreement and for the allocation of funds for loss and damage.
Ambassador Mederic further proposed that the “Blue Economy” is added as part of a sub-component of the issue of the “Development of Bio-economy” as it similarly seeks to conserve marine and freshwater environments while using them in a sustainable way to develop economic growth.
Ambassador Mederic also had the opportunity to meet with the recently appointed Chief Executive Officer of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Ambassador Marie Antoinette Rose Quatre, during the sideline of the Executive Council on 18th July 2024. They discussed the future steps for Seychelles in establishing its national structures as a member of this continental mechanism and how issues of great significance to Seychelles as an African Island State, like Climate Change and the Blue Economy, can be addressed through APRM Programmes.
On July 17, 2024, Ambassador Mederic was present at the commemoration event marking the 20th anniversary of the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC). This event aimed at celebrating two decades of ECOSOCC’s contributions to Africa’s development agenda, offering a platform to reflect, engage, and strategise for the future in order to achieve the African Union’s goals and the Agenda 2063.
Ambassador Mederic was accompanied to the Executive Council by the Second Secretary at the Embassy of the Republic of Seychelles in Addis Ababa Mrs. Patricia Ilunga and representatives of the Seychelles Consulate in Ghana.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism – Foreign Affairs Department, Republic of Seychelles.