French Minister Thani Mohamed-Soilihi Pays Strategic Visit to Victoria
VICTORIA, Seychelles — In an official visit to Seychelles, Mr Thani Mohamed-Soilihi, Minister Delegate attached to the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, in charge of the Francophonie and International Partnerships, carried out on Tuesday a series of strategic visits to Victoria, illustrating the excellence of Franco-Seychellois relations and the desire to strengthen regional cooperation in the Indian Ocean. Accompanied by Mr Aymeric de Saint-Pern, port captain of SAPMER, the minister visited the tuna seiner Bernica, flagship of the French-operated fishing fleet in the Indian Ocean.
This symbolic visit aimed to underline the crucial role of the fishing sector in economic exchanges between France and Seychelles. He was then welcomed at the Port of Victoria by Mr Sony Payet, port director, for a presentation of the port extension project, a major construction site co-financed by the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Union and the Seychellois State. “The purpose of my visit is firstly, within the framework of good relations between France and the Seychelles, to come here to mark the excellence of these relations, particularly with a view to the COI summit. This extension project is very important and long-awaited, because it will strengthen commercial relations between France, the Seychelles and the wider region,” the minister emphasised.
Beyond the economic stakes, Mr Thani Mohamed-Soilihi addressed current geopolitical questions, notably the uncertainties linked to the commercial policies of the United States and the repercussions on the French territories of the Indian Ocean. He advocated a strategic reorientation of diplomatic priorities. He also insisted on the importance of including Mayotte in all regional cooperation dynamics. “Mayotte is one of the components of the Indian Ocean. My coming here is also to make sure that this sister island is not forgotten in the future and that it is part of the maximum cooperations.” The minister will participate in the ministerial meeting of the COI which is being held in Victoria in preparation for the COI summit scheduled for the end of the month in Madagascar.
