Also present were secretary of state Barry Faure and foreign affairs principal secretary Maurice Loustau-Lalanne.

Among the ambassadors at the meeting were Claude Morel, who is based in France, Philippe Le Gall in the People’s Republic of China and Dick Esparon in India.

Ambassador to the European Union Vivianne Fock-Tave, Joseph Nourrice based in South Africa and Ronny Jumeau, ambassador to the United States and permanent representative at the United Nations, were also there.

Mr Adam said the reunion with the ambassadors forms part of his strategy to promote team work as it is vital for Seychelles to project a dynamic image in the international arena.

The President is very satisfied with our position internationally, he said, and our recent successes as a country have been made possible as a result of our proactive image at this level.

Mr Adam added that a lot of effort has been put into explaining our challenges to our partners, and as a result we have managed to get their support.

“For example, we would not have been able to deal thoroughly with our reform programme without in-depth discussions with our partners to reschedule our debts,” he said.

“We are also getting financial budget support from the EU, all of which shows the maturity of our country and that our international diplomacy has a great role to play.”

Yesterday’s meeting was also an opportunity for Mr Michel to put forward his strategy for an active economic diplomacy, Mr Adam said.

“Our image at international level is excellent as a result of the President’s effort and that of our ambassadors, and we have to keep up this momentum,” he added.

Talking about the two-day regional symposium on maritime security to be held here next week, Mr Adam said Seychelles will present its long-term plan to combat piracy, along with its partners in the region and other organisations.

Seychelles’ comprehensive maritime security plan of action is a result of a multi-sectoral consultation process to respond effectively and sustainably to concerns over the vulnerability of our exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Mr Adam said Seychelles has been greatly affected by piracy and “we have taken the initiative to organise events to educate our partners and get their support in dealing with this problem”.

Seychelles alone will not have a solution to the issue of piracy in the region, he added, and we will soon host a Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa conference on the subject.

“Our policy is to take the lead, let our partners know our position and develop relations to help us face any challenges,” he added.

Mr Adam said our strategy against piracy and for maritime security includes guaranteeing the sovereignty of our EEZ.
“We also need to have resources to combat all menaces, including drug trafficking and illegal fishing,” he added.
Mr Jumeau said it was an honour for all ambassadors representing Seychelles abroad to meet the President, as most ambassadors do not get the chance to meet their head of state.

“The forum was an occasion to meet the new Minister for Foreign Affairs and his principal secretary,” he said.
He added that Mr Michel has expressed his support for the ministry and discussed how it can work more closely with the ambassadors to take Seychelles forward.

Seychelles has a very good reputation abroad, and many small countries were surprised at how we managed to deal with the recent economic crisis, Mr Jumeau said.

Talking about the ambassadors’ input into the maritime symposium, he said their work will start after the meeting.

“We will take the plan and present it to other countries and organisations to see how we can get their support,” he said, adding that they will ensure Seychelles remains the leading country in the region in combating piracy.

Mr Jumeau said illegal fishing will soon become another concern for Seychelles because of a worldwide decline in fish stocks. The maritime safety plan will be the first step in preparing Seychelles to deal with such problems.

He said today we have more embassies abroad than before, and this is of great benefit to us as it helps to raise the profile of our country.
“As our resources grow, we will have more ambassadors abroad,” he added.
He also congratulated Mr Michel and the Foreign Affairs ministry for their remarkable work.