The International Affairs Committee Hosts Commemorative Outreach Activity At The University Of Seychelles

As part of a series of activities commemorating the National Assembly's 30th Anniversary, the International Affairs Committee (IAC) organised an outreach activity on Wednesday 6th September 2023 at the University of Seychelles (UniSey), Manchester Auditorium. The Interactive and Sensitisation workshop, led by the Chairperson of IAC, Hon. Waven William, engaged a generous group of students from the School of A-Level Studies (SALS) and eager participants from UniSey. Other IAC members present were the Vice-Chairperson Hon. Wavel Woodcock, Hon. Philip Monthy, Hon. Kelly Samynadin, Hon. Egbert Aglae and Hon. Philip Arissol. Assisting the Committee was the Secretary Ms. Emma Didon, and Assistant Secretary Mr. Darel Atala.

 

 

Following a humble welcome from the Executive Committee of the UniSey led by Vice-Chancellor Ms. Joëlle Perreau, Hon. William kicked off the workshop with brief opening remarks, proceeded by a presentation on the roles and responsibilities of the IAC and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). 

 

 

 

The workshop ticked the interactive box with flying colours as observed by pertinent and intriguing questions from the participants following the different presentations delivered by the members of the Committee. In line with international affairs, the Members sensitised participants on the various international parliamentary fora they, and other MNAs, participate in to effectively implement parliamentary diplomacy. Other than the IPU, the presentations delivered addressed the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the ‘Alliance Parlement de Commission de L’Océan Indien’ (APCOI), the ‘Conseil National pour le Développment et la Solidarité Internationale’ (CNDSI), the SADC-PF and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).

 

 

To end the workshop, the Committee formulated an exercise emulating the reporting work done by the IAC on the International Agreements that are brought to the House for ratification. Ms. Emma Didon then delivered a short presentation on the process undergone by the IAC once the Executive seeks for Seychelles’ ratification of an international agreement. For the Mock Review exercise, the students were asked to analyze an agreement, identify the possible detriments, benefits it could have for the country, and make recommendations.

 

 

At the end of the workshop, both the committee and the participants expressed their extreme satisfaction on the outcomes of the workshop. The students agreed that that they learnt numerous new things of the parliamentary world, providing them with another perspective and niche of international relations. Particularly, the role of international relations within parliamentary institutions as the representative bodies of the people, and the importance of parliamentary diplomacy.