Seychelles Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Mr. Conrad Mederic, is leading the Seychelles delegation to the 44th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union from 14th to 15th February 2024 in Addis Ababa. This year’s Summit is centred on the theme “Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa.”

During the opening ceremony H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, recognised the alarming peace and security situation on the African Continent and in the world. He therefore urged Member States to brace themselves for any uncertainty that may arise as the African Union Commission launches the second decade of the Agenda 2063 for the betterment of the continent.

The Chair of the Executive Council, Mr. Dhoihir Dhoulkamal, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Union of Comoros, stated that the continent has faced many challenges in 2023, however on several occasion, Member States have tried to represent the continent in various forums on the international level especially in COP 28. He recommended that the agendas of Small Island Developing States (SIDs) pertaining to Climate Change and Blue Economy be given utmost importance when discussing continental affairs.

In his intervention on the theme of the year, Ambassador Mederic highlighted that although “Seychelles has done relatively well in providing free compulsory education to both primary and secondary students and maintaining a good literary rate on the continent, gaps in the education sector remain.” He further added that “Seychelles is ready to work collaboratively with the Commission and other Member States to ensure momentum to the realization of the theme of the year and all its endeavours.”

This year Seychelles will co-host two side events on the margins of the Summit focusing in areas of significant interest to Seychelles, namely Ocean Governance, Blue Economy and Climate Change.

Ambassador Mederic is accompanied to the Summit by Mr. Chrissant Barbe, Director General of the Blue Economy Department, Mr. Jean-Michel Domingue, Director of Education for Legal and Regulatory Affairs, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Patricia Ilunga, Second Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of Seychelles, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Ms. Vanessa Seth, Third Secretary, Regional Affairs Division, Foreign Affairs Department.