VICTORIA, Seychelles, On the sidelines of the 37th African Union Summit, Seychelles chaired the African Island States high-level meeting as recommended during the ministerial meeting at COP 28. The inaugural summit, guided by the Africa Island States Climate Commission (AISCC) secretariat and its partners under Seychelles’ chairmanship, was aimed to foster stronger cooperation among African island states for a thriving and resilient future. The meeting marked an important step in regional climate diplomacy.
This significant gathering took place on Friday February 16, alongside the 37th ordinary session of the Assembly of the African Union. High-level representatives and delegations from AISCC member states came together to assess how the commission is being operationalised and to chart the way forward. Member states used the occasion to share their national experiences and priorities for collective action on climate resilience.
Two panel discussions made up the programme. The first brought together heads of AISCC delegations under the moderation of Minister Flavien Joubert. A second panel, featuring representatives of development partners, was led by Nassim Oulmane, who heads the technology, climate change and natural resource management division at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The format allowed for rich exchanges of views between island states and their partners.
Opening the meeting on behalf of President Wavel Ramkalawan, who chairs the AISCC, Minister Joubert said Seychelles stood ready to work with international communities in decisively combating the climate crisis. He outlined ambitions for ocean climate action, comprehensive protection of biodiversity, and advocacy for sustainable development, especially in small island developing states. He noted that island states can lead the way on issues critical to Africa’s development.
After the opening, member states shared their perspectives and offered guidance to strengthen the AISCC. Key partners then reiterated their commitments to support the commission’s work. In the latter part of the meeting, representatives from the African Union Commission and the UN outlined the way forward, emphasising the importance of access to financing, the creation of mechanisms to facilitate that access, and continued capacity building for island states.
