Seychelles Welcomes Madagascar Back to SADC and AU Family
Thu, 30 January 2014 | Foreign Affairs
Vice President Danny Faure has congratulated the people and newly elected President of Madagascar, Mr. Hery Rajaonarimampianina , and the organs of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for bringing and end to the crisis in Madagascar through the realisation of credible, democratic elections.
Speaking at the Extraordinary Summit of the SADC Heads of State held today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in the margins of the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, the Vice President applauded the efforts of SADC in their support of the successful elections held in Madagascar and welcomed the re-admission of the Indian Ocean island state to the SADC family:
"The elections which took place in Madagascar with the support of SADC, the AU, the Indian Ocean Commission and many other partners are the most transparent in the history of Madagascar and represent the will of the people to move beyond the crisis and to a new era of development.
"I had the honour of representing President James Michel at the inauguration ceremony in Antanarivo on 25th January and we congratulate you [President Hery Rajaonarimampianina] on your message of inclusion, solidarity and determination to bring development to the Malagasy people who have suffered immeasurably during the crisis."
The Vice President also thanked the SADC Organ Troika on Peace, Defence and Security for their unrelenting efforts in bringing an end to the crisis and said that Seychelles was proud of their role in the peace process both through SADC and through the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC).
In addition Vice President Faure welcomed the African Union decision to lift sanctions on Madagascar, previously imposed for unconstitutional changes in government, and welcome them back as an active member of the organisation.
It should be recalled that President James Michel hosted two rounds of mediation talks together with South African President Jacob Zuma, then Chair of the SADC Organ Troika on Peace, Defence and Security, as part of the Roadmap that led to the elections, notably the Desroches Process held in July 2012.
The Seychelles Government also seconded Ambassador Claude Morel to Antananarivo as Head of the IOC Liaison Office to support efforts to bring and end to the crisis and realise credible democratic elections.
Vice President Danny Faure was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jean-Paul Adam, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Barry Faure, and the Seychelles Permanent Representative to the African Union and Resident Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ambassador Joseph Nourrice.