Commonwealth Students Association Chairperson Pays Courtesy Call on VP Afif
VICTORIA, Seychelles, To commemorate the Commonwealth Day on March 11, the chairperson of the Commonwealth Students Association (CSA), Benjamin Fraser, paid a courtesy visit to Vice-President Ahmed Afif yesterday afternoon at State House. The meeting was also attended by the British High Commissioner, Jeffrey Frank Glekin. The courtesy call reflects the strong ties between Seychelles and the wider Commonwealth family, particularly in the area of youth and education.
Mr Fraser introduced the association, founded in 2012 at the 18th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in Mauritius when student leaders gathered to address critical education matters and their involvement in the Commonwealth education sector. He explained that during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2022, leaders designated 2023 as a year dedicated to youth-led action for sustainable and inclusive development. The CSA continues to play a coordinating role in bringing student voices into these continental conversations.
In response, as part of the Commonwealth’s youth networks, we were invited to submit project proposals. Mr Fraser explained that the executive chose a direction rooted in community-level work because the association’s day-to-day engagement with members takes place largely online, which restricts opportunities for face-to-face contact outside major conferences. CSA identified thirteen countries out of the 56 Commonwealth countries, where engagement has been low, and Mr Fraser expressed the hope that working with students in Seychelles will strengthen the association’s presence there.
The CSA’s newly elected executive committee, consisting of a chairperson, three vice-chairpersons, and four regional representatives, took office in October 2022. Their official installation took place on March 17, 2023, at The Central Hall in London, UK, during the Commonwealth Youth Leaders’ Summit 2023. The Commonwealth secretary-general Patricia Scotland and many other youth leaders from various Commonwealth youth networks were present at the event. For this tenure, the CSA prioritised student safety and security, decolonising education, soft skills development and non-formal learning, as well as finding a home for the CSA.
The organisation’s primary objectives include fostering unity among student organisations in Commonwealth countries, safeguarding the rights of Commonwealth students, and actively contributing to the development of student movements. Following the meeting, Vice-President Afif expressed gratitude for Mr Fraser’s presentation and extended well wishes for the CSA’s endeavours in Seychelles. He encouraged Seychellois youth to seize the opportunities presented to them through the CSA’s programmes. Mr Fraser was accompanied by the CSA country representative for Seychelles, Trisha Labiche; the senior student support officer of UniSey, Carina Albert; the vice-president of the student council of UniSey, Joey Tirant; and Ambassador Beryl Samson from the department of Foreign Affairs.
