(Posted 17th February 2026)
The need to address the logistical barriers African Island States face in transporting goods and services to the mainland was highlighted by Seychelles’ Vice President, Sebastien Pillay, in a meeting with Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
State House said in a press release on Sunday that Pillay held high-level bilateral meetings with the leadership of key African Union (AU) organs to advance Seychelles’ interest as an African Island State. These were conducted on the margins of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
In his meeting with the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA, Pillay expressed his gratitude for the Secretariat’s support in developing the Seychelles Implementation Strategy and the Step-by-Step Guide. He also noted that the AcFTA Certificate of Origin would be released shortly.
Another highlight of the discussion was the importance of AfCFTA in protecting local producers during tariff liberalisation while ensuring geographically isolated States are not sidelined. The AfCFTA Secretary General expressed his full support for Seychelles and offered to assist with a tailored AfCFTA national implementation strategy.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is one of the Flagship Projects of Agenda 2063, Africa’s development framework. It was approved by the 18th ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January 2012. The AfCFTA aims to accelerate intra-African trade and boost Africa’s trading position in the global market by strengthening the continent’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiations.
The Vice President also met with Nardos Bekele-Thomas, Chief Executive of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD). He urged the agency to serve as a vocal advocate for small States with limited resources, ensuring equitable support across the continent.
On her side, Bekele-Thomas commended Seychelles’ pioneering leadership in the Blue Economy.
Both parties discussed the need to use Africa’s assets for the benefit of its people, while NEPAD offered its expertise to assist Seychelles in its fisheries negotiations with third countries.
Looking ahead, both the AfCFTA Secretary-General and the AUDA-NEPAD CEO have confirmed upcoming working visits to Seychelles. These missions will focus on aligning AU initiatives with Seychelles’ national priorities and assessing specific areas for technical and developmental support.
