VICTORIA, Seychelles — President Wavel Ramkalawan, accompanied by First Lady Linda Ramkalawan, has arrived in the Malagasy capital of Antananarivo to take part in the 5th Summit of the Indian Ocean Commission (COI) on 24 April 2025. The presidential couple arrived in Antananarivo on Tuesday afternoon. They were warmly received at Ivato International Airport by the Prime Minister of Madagascar, Christian Ntsay.
The summit brings together heads of state and government of the five COI member states — the Union of the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, France (on behalf of Reunion), and Seychelles — to deliberate on shared regional priorities, including maritime security, climate change adaptation, blue economy development, and the operationalisation of regional youth and parliamentary bodies. Seychelles, as the outgoing chair of the COI, will hand over the rotating presidency at the conclusion of the summit.
The visit is being seen as a moment for Seychelles to consolidate its regional influence built up over its chairmanship, particularly through the launch of the Regional Youth Parliament of the Indian Ocean (PRJIO) earlier this week. The 5th COI Summit is also expected to produce a communique on the situation in the western Indian Ocean, including recent security incidents in the Mozambique Channel and the impact of piracy on regional shipping lanes. President Ramkalawan is expected to deliver a national address upon his return.
