Seychelles President Patrick Herminie on Tuesday received the credentials of the new Russian Ambassador, Kirill Gennadievich Sokolov-Shcherbachev.
The two countries expressed their commitment to strengthening their partnership, particularly in the maritime sector, considered a strategic pillar of their bilateral cooperation.
Maritime cooperation is among the priority areas of the partnership between Seychelles and the Russian Federation, as President Herminie received the credentials of the newly appointed Russian ambassador, Kirill Gennadievich Sokolov-Shcherbachev.
During the ceremony held at the State House, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the 50-year-old bilateral relationship, with a particular focus on maritime security, technical cooperation, and institutional exchanges.
The Seychelles head of state emphasized the importance of collaboration with Moscow, given that the protection of maritime space remains a strategic issue for the Indian Ocean archipelago.
The discussions focused on existing agreements concerning Russian ship calls in the Seychelles, as well as new areas of technical cooperation.
Patrick Herminie also mentioned his recent working visit to the Russian Federation, stating that this meeting with Russian authorities had helped to revitalize relations between the two countries.
He announced that the upcoming opening of a Seychellois embassy in Moscow should contribute to deepening diplomatic and economic exchanges.
Beyond the maritime sector, discussions covered several areas of cooperation, including tourism, education, culture, sports, security and investment.
The Seychellois President particularly welcomed the continued operation of Aeroflot’s direct flights between Russia and the Seychelles, a positive factor for the development of tourism.
The new Russian ambassador, for his part, conveyed greetings from President Vladimir Putin and expressed his commitment to further strengthening relations between the two countries.
He also welcomed the progress made following President Herminie’s recent visit to Russia, particularly in the area of labour and employment cooperation.
This new diplomatic step comes as Victoria and Moscow seek to consolidate a strategic partnership based on maritime cooperation, economic exchanges, and people-to-people ties.
The Seychellois President also indicated his intention to participate in the upcoming Russia-Africa Summit scheduled for October, which is expected to provide an additional forum for dialogue between Russia and African countries.
AC/fss/gik/APA