The Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Mr. Barry Faure, speaking at the 46th COMESA Council of Ministers meeting, called for increased effort in the development of a regional shipping line to strengthen intra-regional maritime connectivity for island and coastal Member States.
In his remarks, Minister Faure stressed that such an initiative has the potential to reduce transport and logistics costs, improve the reliability and predictability of essential imports, and reinforce collective resilience to global disruptions in shipping routes. He further noted with appreciation that a feasibility study for the proposed regional shipping line has already been completed and validated, and expressed Seychelles’ readiness for renewed engagement on the way forward. The Minister also underscored the importance of collaboration with the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) in advancing this initiative.
Minister Faure additionally highlighted the importance of pooled procurement of pharmaceutical products, noting that smaller Member States such as Seychelles, with no domestic manufacturing capacity, rely heavily on regional mechanisms to ensure affordable and reliable access to essential medicines. He called for harmonised approaches across Regional Economic Communities to maximise efficiency in health-related procurement frameworks. The Minister also requested the COMESA Secretariat to support Member States in negotiations with external partners, to ensure that the interests of smaller economies are adequately safeguarded.
During the meeting, Minister Faure also extended congratulations to Ms. Lina Hoareau, a Seychellois national, on her appointment as Manager of Human Resources at the COMESA Court of Justice, commending her achievement as a reflection of Seychelles’ growing contribution to regional institutions.
Minister Faure further had the honour of delivering the vote of thanks at the opening ceremony on behalf of all Member States present, during which he reminded the need to deepen the COMESA regional integration agenda as a key step toward enhancing market access within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Minister was accompanied by Mr. Christian Faure, Director General for Regional Affairs, Mr. Jimmy Butt, Honorary Consul General, Mr. Jean-Phillip Banane, Third Secretary- Regional Affairs Division and Ms. Manuella Servina, Protocol Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora.