The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora was pleased to welcome Dr Emma Orefuwa, Head of the Nigerian Delegation and Director of Programme (Africa) at GAFFI, during her visit to Seychelles over the weekend.
Born in the United Kingdom to Seychellois heritage, Dr Orefuwa has, over the past decade, been on a deeply personal journey to reconnect with her Seychellois roots. Her visit reflects a growing commitment to strengthening ties with her ancestral homeland while contributing her extensive international expertise to the development of meaningful diaspora engagement.
A globally recognised public health and development specialist with over 15 years of experience across Africa, Europe and Asia, Dr Orefuwa has held senior leadership positions in global health, disease surveillance, programme management and diaspora engagement. As Co-Founder of Enterprise Angels & Diaspora Nexus and a Research Fellow at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, she has worked extensively with governments, development partners, academia and multilateral organisations to foster sustainable partnerships across the African continent.
During her visit to the Ministry, Dr Orefuwa met with officers from the Consular Affairs Division and the Diaspora Division, as well as officers preparing for diplomatic postings abroad. Drawing from her wealth of international experience, she shared valuable insights on strengthening engagement with Seychellois communities overseas and highlighted practical approaches to building enduring relationships with the Seychelles diaspora.
A central message of her discussions was that successful diaspora engagement is founded on consistency and trust. She emphasised that maintaining regular communication, listening to the needs of Seychellois abroad, and delivering on commitments are essential to fostering meaningful and lasting connections between the diaspora and their homeland.
The interactive session provided Ministry officers with a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas and explore innovative approaches to enhancing Seychelles’ diaspora engagement strategy. Dr Orefuwa also expressed her willingness to continue supporting the Ministry’s efforts by sharing expertise and facilitating partnerships that benefit Seychellois living abroad.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora remains committed to strengthening its relationship with Seychellois communities across the globe and recognises the invaluable role that members of the diaspora play in promoting national development, knowledge exchange, investment and cultural ties.
Dr Orefuwa’s visit serves as an inspiring reminder that reconnecting with one’s heritage can become a powerful catalyst for collaboration, partnership and nation-building, reinforcing the Ministry’s vision of a connected and engaged global Seychellois community.
United Nation – Resident Coordinator Office (UNRCO)
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS)
United Nations – Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) – to assist the National Liaison Officer (Terence)
United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI)
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) [Chemical Weapon Convention (CWC) or Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction]
International Telecommunication Organisation (ITU)
Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA): Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)
Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA): Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) {formerly Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (BTWC)}
Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA): Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW)
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Office OHCHR) [incl: Secretariat to United Nations – Human Rights Council and Universal Periodic Review (UPR)]
Oversees consular cases, provides assistance to Seychellois nationals in distress abroad.
Responsible for processing applications from Diplomatic Missions and Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for access to the VIP Lounge at the Seychelles International Airport in line with relevant policies.
Additionally, she Coordinates requests for rental of protocol equipment and the sale of the Seychelles National Flag.
Before her appointment as Ambassador, Ms. Cillia Mangroo served as Executive Director in the Office of the Minister at the Ministry of Finance, National Planning, and Trade. She brings over 18 years of experience within the Ministry, with a strong focus on trade-related matters.
Ambassador Mangroo has held several senior positions throughout her career. From March 2022 to August 2025, she served as Executive Director in the Minister’s Office. Prior to that, she was Principal Secretary for Trade from March 2017 to March 2022. She also represented the Ministry internationally, serving as Trade Attaché in Brussels from 2010 to 2012, and later as Chargé d’Affaires a.i. at the Seychelles Mission in Geneva in 2012.
In addition to her professional roles, Ambassador Mangroo has chaired and served on numerous national committees, panels, and government boards. She is also a published author, having contributed to Trade Multilateralism in the 21st Century with her work titled “The WTO Accession of Seychelles: Lessons from a Small Island Economy” (2017).
She holds a Master’s degree in International Trade Law from the University of Turin, Italy, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Manchester, England.
Responsible for giving visibility to the Department through its website, Press Releases and social media platforms, and coordinate with Seychelles Diplomatic Missions abroad in the promotion of Seychelles Foreign Policy in their respective jurisdictions.
A vacancy exists for the position of Attorney-General in the Republic of Seychelles.