Seychelles was supportive of the Africa Union on issues like piracy and the oceans and it should have greater buy-in into the agenda of the African Union since it is good when countries are engaged constructively in international organization which they belong to.

It was in these words that the outgoing Chairperson of the African Union Commission, (AUC)  Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, characterized the nature of the relationship between the African Union and its smallest member-state, Seychelles during with Seychelles President, Danny Faure, at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa yesterday February 1st. President Faure who was in the Ethiopian capital to attend the 28th Ordinary Session of the African Union paid a courtesy call on Mrs Zuma to record Seychelles appreciation of her chairmanship of the AUC as well as the relationship between Seychelles and the African Union (AU).

President Faure thanked Mrs Zuma for AU's support of Seychelles during difficult moments and commended her for being one of the first dignitaries who really understood Seychelles when it started championing the concept of the blue economy. He praised her stewardship of the African Union noting that as the first woman to fill the post of chair of AUC, she made African women proud and is seen as a beacon of inspiration for African women and girls, especially the marginalized ones. The Seychelles President also thanked Mrs Zuma for visiting Seychelles during her mandate, recalling that she is the only AUC chair to have done so.

For her part, Mrs Zuma saud she was honoured and humbled by the courtesy call of President Faure and said that she hopes her successor and the new Commissioners will add impetus to the blue economy concept by building on the partnership between AU and Denmark, a country with a rich maritime tradition and an economy almost entirely build around the ocean, since ancient times. She told President Faure that Seychelles should have more buy-in into the AU agenda as this will mutually benefit both.