VICTORIA, Seychelles — Seychelles has formally assumed the chairmanship of the Eastern Africa Constituency of the African Development Bank (AfDB), with Ronald Cafrine appointed as executive director effective August 1, 2025. The move was confirmed during the 60th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the financial institution, held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire from May 26 to 30, 2025.
Seychelles was represented at the meeting by the secretary of state in the Ministry of Finance, National Planning and Trade, Patrick Payet. The Eastern Africa Constituency brings together a number of African states that coordinate positions on the AfDB board, and the chair rotates among member countries on a defined schedule. Taking up the role allows Seychelles a stronger voice in decisions on the bank’s lending, infrastructure programmes and development financing priorities for the region over the next cycle.
Mr Cafrine will serve as executive director for the constituency from August, taking up the seat on the AfDB board that represents the bloc at the bank’s headquarters in Abidjan. The new role is expected to provide Seychelles with additional leverage to channel development support to small island developing states, including on climate adaptation, blue economy projects and infrastructure financing, areas that have been a priority for the government’s foreign policy engagement in recent years.
