Minister Barry Faure addresses the 11th OACPS Summit of Heads and States and Government. Calls for relocation of the OACPS Secretariat
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora of the Republic of Seychelles, Ambassador Barry Faure, represented President Patrick Hermine at the opening of the 11th Summit of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States’ (OACPS).
Delivering his Statement, Minister Faure acknowledge the leadership of the outgoing Chair, Joao Manual Gonçalves Lourenço, for his stewardship of the Organisation and welcomed H.E. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasaogo as the new Chair of the Summit. He reaffirmed Seychelles’ readiness to support the leadership over the coming term and commanded the Secretary General Moussa Saleh Batraki, for his strong performance since assuming office.
Addressing the Summit theme “An organisation transformed and renewed in a changing world”, Minister Faure underscored the continued relevance of the OACPS as a platform of solidarity and collective action. He highlighted the importance of ensuring that the organisation adapts to evolving global realities, particularly in light of growing pressures on the multilateral system, while continuing to amplify the voices and priorities of its member states.
The Minister emphasised the urgent need for stronger global commitments on climate justice, climate finance, and resilience building, noting that these remain critical priorities for Seychelles and other vulnerable countries. He further stressed the importance of enhanced cooperation among OACPS member states to address shared economic challenges, including debt pressures and supply chain disruptions and to promote sustainable growth through increased trade, investment and technology transfer.
Minister Faure called for a transformation that goes beyond institutional reform, advocating for an inclusive, resilient and future oriented Organisation. He highlighted the need to strengthen institutional efficiency, improve coordination across regional pillars and ensure financial stability. In this regard, he commended recent final pledges by member states and called for the relocation of the OACPS Secretariat outside Brussels to a member state as a cost cutting measure to enhance the effectiveness and operational efficiency of the Organisation.
Concluding his intervention, Minister Faure reaffirmed Seychelles’ commitment to working collaboratively with all member states to advance the reform and renewal of the OACPS. He underscored the enduring strength of the Organisation in its unity across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific and expressed confidence that the Summit would yield meaningful outcomes to guide the Organisation towards a stronger and more responsive future.
