UNESCO Regional Director for Eastern Africa and Representative to Seychelles presents his Credentials to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism of the Republic of Seychelles
UNESCO Regional Director for Eastern Africa and Representative to Seychelles, Prof. Hubert Gijzen presented his credentials to H.E. Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde, Minister for Foreign Affairs & Tourism of Seychelles in a ceremony at the Foreign Affairs Department, Maison Quéau de Quinssy in Victoria on 17 May 2022.
H.E. Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde congratulated Prof. Hubert Gijzen on his accreditation, and on behalf of the Government, he thanked UNESCO for the support it has provided to Seychelles over the years.
As a proud member of UNESCO, Seychelles remains focused and committed to engaging on different issues that are instrumental and crucial for our development.
Prof. Hubert Gijzen commended Seychelles for being a leader and among the first to ratify the Addis Convention on higher education. Also, Seychelles has been championing the skills for work and life through the UNESCO Mahe Process on TVET reforms in the Eastern Africa.
I am confident that our cooperation, including with the Seychelles National Commission for UNESCO, will contribute to the achievement of Seychelles Vision 2033 and its National Development Strategy. This will be realized by strengthening programmes in areas such as science and the blue economy, sustainable tourism development with direct economic benefits to local communities, creative industries, ICTs and digitization for quality education, Green TVET, sustainable water management in times of climate change, Artificial Intelligence, and youth and women empowerment, among others.
This is a strong cooperation, which Minister Sylvestre Radegonde further noted as having the potential to “broaden”.
Prof. Hubert Gijzen is present in Seychelles and will be participating in the annual UN Country Team Retreat, which gathers all the Heads of UN agencies.
Also present during the accreditation ceremony were Ambassador Vivianne Fock Tave, Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs; Ms. Amenda Padayachy, Director-General for Multilateral Affairs; and other senior officials of the Foreign Affairs Department.