Mr Claude Morel presented his Letters of Credentials to the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, as resident High Commissioner of Seychelles, on Tuesday 12^th October 2021, in a ceremony at The Presidency, Union Buildings, Pretoria.

In his remarks to the President, Mr Morel conveyed the fraternal greetings of President Wavel Ramkalawan. He said that “Seychelles views South Africa as a friend, a neighbour sharing the same ocean, and above all, a strategic partner”, and that the two countries “share the same values and aspirations in our quest to put the development agenda our countries at the forefront of our actions”. He commended the wide array of sectors on which the bilateral relations are built on, from the trade, investment, tourism, aviation, banking, education, among others, but also in “areas affecting our own existence like climate change and sea-level rise”.

From a multilateral perspective, Mr Morel pledged that “our engagement will continue in pursuing our mutual goals via the platforms of SADC, the African Union, the Indian Ocean Rim Association, the Commonwealth and the United Nations”.

President Ramaphosa said that he was looking forward to meeting President Ramkalawan soon and that the two countries should continue engaging with each other to consolidate and enhance relations at all levels.

High Commissioner Morel was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Margaret Morel.