The President of the Republic of Seychelles, Dr. Patrick Herminie, received the Letters of Credence of His Excellency Mr. Hatem Yousri Hosni, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the Republic of Seychelles, during an accreditation ceremony held yesterday at State House. The ceremony marked the official commencement of Ambassador Hosni’s diplomatic mission to Seychelles and provided an opportunity for wide-ranging discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation across several priority sectors.

During the meeting, President Herminie and Ambassador Hosni exchanged views on tourism, health, investment, sports, and people-to-people cooperation. Tourism featured prominently in the discussions, with both sides acknowledging that although, Seychelles and Egypt offer distinct tourism products, there is considerable scope for collaboration through shared experiences and joint promotional initiatives.

President Herminie proposed the appointment of a Seychelles Tourism Ambassador to be based in Cairo to promote Seychelles as a destination and further strengthen bilateral tourism relations. Discussions also explored strategies to attract a greater number of Egyptian visitors to Seychelles, including enhanced marketing efforts, improved air connectivity, and the promotion of cultural tourism. In this context, both sides noted the opportunity to showcase Egypt in Seychelles as the two countries commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2026.

In the health sector, the President underscored the importance of deepening cooperation, particularly in capacity building and professional development. He highlighted opportunities for Seychellois medical practitioners to benefit from advanced training and specialist experience in Egypt, as well as the potential for Egyptian medical consultants and specialists to support Seychelles through knowledge transfer and practical collaboration. Investment prospects in the pharmaceutical sector were also discussed, with a focus on partnerships that could contribute to improved access to affordable medicines.

Sports cooperation, particularly in football, was identified as another promising area of engagement. President Herminie expressed interest in facilitating friendly matches for the Seychelles national team in Cairo and in creating pathways for talented Seychellois players to gain exposure in Egypt. Ambassador Hosni welcomed these initiatives and further suggested that collaboration could be strengthened through the engagement of Egyptian coaches in Seychelles, contributing to the development of local talent and the overall growth of the sport.

President Herminie also raised the matter of two Seychellois nationals currently serving sentences in Egypt, emphasising the Government of Seychelles’ continued engagement with the Egyptian authorities to facilitate their repatriation to Seychelles to continue serving their sentences. In response, Ambassador Hosni noted that the process has experienced delays and indicated that the matter is now being handled at the level of the justice authorities, with expectations of progress towards a conclusion.

Ambassador Hosni, who will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, also paid a courtesy call on the Vice-President of the Republic of Seychelles, Mr. Sebastien Pillay, during his visit.

Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Seychelles and the Arab Republic of Egypt were established on 15 July 1976, and this year marks the 50th anniversary of those relations. Both sides acknowledged the significance of this milestone and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the longstanding and cordial ties between the two countries.