Visit to Ministry of Foreign Affairs - President thanks staff ‘for making Seychelles shine’
25.09.2009
President James Michel has thanked all members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who have contributed “to put Seychelles on the map – to make us shine on the international stage”.
He said this in a statement, sent to all the staff, following his tour of the ministry yesterday.
Mr Michel recently took on the portfolio of foreign affairs, following the retirement of Minister Patrick Pillay.
He asked the staff to think innovatively and propose ideas for their work, as well as to put an emphasis on discipline and the principles of hard work.
“The role of foreign affairs could not be more important at this juncture,” said the President.
“We are at a critical moment of our history. We all need to play an active role in promoting our country’s ideals and interests on the international stage.
“I believe in a dynamic diplomatic service which is adaptable and ready to meet the challenges of an ever changing world.
“The rotation of our ambassadors ensures that our diplomats benefit from maximum exposure and exchange of ideas. We all benefit from sharing ideas with each other, and this is one of the basic principles of diplomacy.”
The President outlined the foreign affairs challenges that lie ahead for the country, saying climate change is a matter of survival for small island states – it is our human right to existence, and we must ensure that we continue to press our case at every opportunity.
Mr Michel said Seychelles cannot afford to be isolated, and we must actively promote our position within regional groupings.
Through our membership of the Indian Ocean Commission, the Southern African Development Community, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the African Union we must position Seychelles as an active partner in the regional development process because if we delay or hesitate we will lose out.
“We must build on strong bilateral partnerships, enhancing existing bonds and exploring new avenues of cooperation with new economic powers,” he said.
“The threat of piracy has redefined the concept of our national security and the way that we approach security considerations in international forums. We must continue to build enduring cooperation with our partners to ensure our nation’s security.”
The President said our economic reforms have built our resilience as a nation, adding that we remain a highly vulnerable economy due to our geographic position and lack of economies of scale. And so we must continue to strive for recognition of our specific characteristics and champion the cause of small island states.
“We need to pursue a policy of dynamic economic diplomacy to ensure we garner maximum financial assistance where available to better mitigate against this vulnerability,” he said.
In a signed statement to the staff of the ministry, Mr Michel thanked former Foreign Affairs Minister Patrick Pillay.
“We salute his selfless pursuit of Seychelles’ national interests in the strongest spirit of patriotism,” he said, congratulating the ministry’s outgoing principal secretary Joseph Nourrice on his appointment as an ambassador.
“I thank him for his hard work and leadership during his tenure as principal secretary. The qualities he has displayed in this post will serve him well as Seychelles’ representative in important regional organisations and on the African continent and beyond,” said Mr Michel.