Minister Radegonde engaged in further bilateral talks at the SIDS4 Conference, meeting with Mr. Richard R. Verma, United States Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, to discuss progress in key areas of US and Seychelles cooperation, notably maritime security and defence.

Furthermore, the Minister held discussions with Dr. Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Special Envoy of the Prime Minister and Second Minister for Education and for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore, focusing on collaborative efforts regarding climate change, digitalization, and global challenges. Dr. Osman provided insight into Singapore’s new technical assistance package, “SIDS of Change,” aimed at enhancing SIDS’ capacity to implement the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS.

Minister Radegonde was accompanied by Ambassador Ian Madeleine, Permanent Representative of Seychelles at the UN; Mr. Herve Pool, Second Secretary at the Foreign Affairs Department; Mr. Jeremy Radegonde, Second Secretary at the Seychelles Mission in New York; and Ms. Marie May Hollanda, Protocol Officer at the Foreign Affairs Department.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism – Foreign Affairs Department, Republic of Seychelles.

In his role as the President of the Council of Ministers of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), Minister Radegonde delivered a keynote address at the IOC’s side event, at the SIDS4 conference. This event focused on addressing health and climate risks prevalent in Western Indian Ocean Island States. Minister Radegonde highlighted the implications of climate change, emphasising its dual threat to the planet and public health.

His address underscored the importance of adopting a comprehensive approach to safeguarding human and ecosystem well-being, with a specific emphasis on the WHO One Health concept. This approach offers a unified framework to address the interconnected challenges posed by climate change and health risks.

Minister Radegonde also took the opportunity to share the IOC’s efforts in promoting regional health initiatives, notably through the ‘Sega One Health’ project – an initiative that centers on epidemiological surveillance and alerts.

Furthermore, Minister Joubert, also in attendance, contributed to the event’s discourse by participating in a panel discussion focused on accelerating the implementation of ABAS (A Renewed Declaration for Resilient Prosperity).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism – Foreign Affairs Department, Republic of Seychelles.

The ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC) is organising from 04 to 08 June 2024 in Saly – Portudal in the Republic of Senegal, the 2nd edition of the meeting of the regional coordination committees of the centre’s flagship programmes implemented in the 15 ECOWAS Member States. The aim of the meeting is to share information on the state of implementation of the programmes and to formulate strong recommendations to improve their execution.

Key players and experts working in the fields of education, health and women’s entrepreneurship from the Member States, the ECOWAS Commission and Agencies are meeting to discuss the technical and financial management of the EGDC’s flagship programmes, while defining the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder. The discussions will focus in particular on: the Medical and Financial Support Programme for women and girls suffering from obstetric fistula in the Member States, the Support Programme for the Promotion of Young Girls in the Specialised Technical and Vocational Training Sector through the provision of Excellence Scholarships, and the Support Programme for Women Working in the Processing of Agricultural, Fishery and Handicraft Products in ECOWAS Member States.

Aware of the role of promoting gender equality and the economic and social empowerment of women and girls on economic growth and sustainable human development in the sub-region, since 2010 the EGDC has set up three programmes covering the priority areas of health, education and women’s entrepreneurship.

In view of the weaknesses observed in implementation at both Member State and ECOWAS level, the EGDC has deemed it useful to organise a coordination meeting of these various committees, extended to the ECOWAS national offices and the ECOWAS Permanent Representations in the countries.  The aim is to discuss in particular the results of the audit report on the scholarship programme and the responses provided, and the technical and financial management arrangements for the various programmes, while defining the roles and responsibilities of each entity, namely the EGDC, the Focal Points, the National Offices and the Permanent Representations.

This meeting in Saly should lead to the establishment of stronger and more appropriate strategies to improve the implementation of the CCDG’s flagship programmes in the Member States.

Participants at the meeting come from the Office of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, the Office of the Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, the Human Development and Social Affairs Department of the ECOWAS Commission, the Legal Affairs Directorate of the ECOWAS Commission, technical agencies such as RAAF and ECREEE, and the Commission’s Trade and Transport Directorates.

The meeting will also be attended by members of the Regional Coordinating Committees for the 3 EGDC flagship programmes (Fistula, Scholarships and Transformation), ECOWAS Permanent Representations in the Member States, ECOWAS National Offices, EGDC Gender Focal Points, GIABA, technical and financial partners, experts and the EGDC.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).