On Tuesday 8th April 2025, six new members of the Parlement régional des jeunes de l’Indianocéanie (PRJIO) representing Seychelles paid a visit to the National Assembly. The Seychelles cohort includes Ms. Camilla Cupidon, Mr. Fabien Jeanne, Ms. Elgin Crea, Mr. Fredo Dubel, Ms. Nadisha Malbrook, and Mr. Steve Monnaie. The visit aimed to familiarise the group with the institution, its staff and Members, and explore how the Assembly can support them during their two-year tenure. The PRJIO is a newly established regional youth parliament promoted and established by the ‘l’association des parlementaires des Etats membres de la Commission de l’ocean Indien’ (AP-COI) and Commission de l’Ocean Indien (COI) with the support of l’Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) and funded by ‘l’Agence Française de Développement’ (AFD) under the project Gouvernance, Paix et Stabilité (GPS).
The PRJIO has been established to create a structured framework for young people in the Indian Ocean to speak with a unified voice, influence national, regional and international decisions impacting their future, while promoting and strengthening their active participation in democracy. The members of the PRJIO applied to form part of the initiative through a competitive process which was reviewed by an independent selelction Committee and will represent their home countries namely; Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comores and La Reunion of which are Member States of the COI. At this juncture the COI and AP-COI are at the helm of launching the PRJIO in Seychelles on Tuesday 15th April 2025.
The visit commenced with the presentation of appointment letters by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Roger Mancienne of whom was accompanied by the Deputy Clerk, Ms Alexandria Faure. Addressing the group, Hon. Mancienne congratulated them on their appointment as the first Seychellois cohort and described their appointment as a promising development for the young generation of Seychelles. He expressed his hope that they would use this opportunity to inspire their peers, advocate for youth-related issues, and promote positive values throughout their tenure. Hon. Mancienne also extended his appreciation to the Selection Committee for their efforts in choosing such outstanding representatives.
Ms Faure highlighted the importance of their role as pioneers and encouraged them to remain committed and confident in taking up the space they’ve been provided on this regional platform. She reminded them that this experience is one to embrace fully, and to use it to empower others in their communities. At the end of the meeting, each member received their letter of appointment and a commemorative shield from the Speaker.The group then observed a live sitting of the Assembly and toured the National Assembly Museum, where they learned more about the institution’s history. During their break they engaged with Members of the National Assembly.
The group also had the opportunity to meet with the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mrs. Tania Isaac, who provided an insightful presentation on the role and functions of the Assembly, the separation of powers, system of government, and comparative parliamentary structures. During this interaction, the Clerk encouraged the members of PRJIO to always strive to do their best and to not be afraid to take on challenges, reassuring them that their efforts, no matter how small, can make a meaningful impact.
The visit continued with a meeting with the Media, Youth, Sports and Culture Committee (MYSCC), chaired by Hon. Wavel Woodcock. He was accompanied by Vice-Chairperson Hon. Phillip Arissol, Hon. Conrad Gabriel, Hon. Georges Romain, Hon. Gerard Bijoux, Hon. Valdana Sultan, Hon. Louisette Tamboo, and Committee Secretary Mr. Vincent Quatre.Hon. Woodcock welcomed and congratulated the group, encouraging them to make the most of their two-year term, which marks the beginning of their leadership journey. He affirmed the Committee’s support and invited them to join the upcoming visit to the Beach Soccer Stadium (Paradise Arena) on 10th April. The meeting was an opportunity for Members to exchange advise and engage the youth delegates in dialogue about their motivations and aspirations. Hon. Woodcook concluded the meeting by encouraging the young members to not shy away from asking the members for help and that they are willing to help them succeed on their journey.
To conclude their day, the young members attended a presentation by Ms. Shannon Surman, a Research Officer from the Parliamentary Research Division, who welcomed and congratulated them on their appointment. She provided an overview of the various services offered by the Research Division. Following the presentation, the members were provided with a pendrive containing documents that they can use such as research briefs, fact sheets, and documents related to the PRJIO. To round off the day's activities, the six members had their official photo and bio taken by both the PR and Media teams.
The engagements of the day were a success, and the National Assembly is preparing for the historical launching of the PRJIO which will be taking place on Tuesday 15th April 2025 at the Judiciary Auditorium in the presence of the 30 PRJIO Members, COI officials, Members of Parliaments, Government Officials and other organisations.
