The International Affairs Committee of the National Assembly has been set in accordance with the National Assembly Standing Order 80. (1) Which stipulates that a Committee other than a Sessional Standing Committee shall be appointed by resolution on a motion.

The IAC has been part of the normal running committees of the third Republic and today this is the 4th Committee. In 2003, the IAC came to life following the request by the European Union for Seychelles to undertake a study on Human Rights issues. The committee was set up and started an investigation on the above issue whereby several key persons were brought in for interviews and to shed light on the actual situation in the country.

Members then, were: Hon. Barry Faure (Chairman), Hon. Mitcy Larue, Hon. Walter Confait, Hon. Ginette Gamatis from the SPPF Party, and Hon. Hardy Lucas and Hon. Nicholas Prea from the SNP party. At the end of the hearings, the committee compiled and submitted a report to the National Assembly for approval and copies were circulated to the EU, local embassies and other stakeholders.

From there, the Committee undertook other responsibilities mainly vis-à-vis the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and worked on a basis of straight collaboration. The IAC, under the Chairmanship of Hon. Faure, also negotiated the National Assembly’s participation in different forums and has been able to achieve certain positive relationships with other countries and organizations. One of the main challenges of the Committee is to see the re-launching of the Indian Ocean Parliamentary Organization. An MOU was signed with our Mauritian counterparts and Seychelles has taken the responsibility to organize the extra-ordinary conference which will give life to the *APCOI organization.

Other meetings with the ACP-EU parliamentarians and COI also took place and consolidated Seychelles position in the different organizations.

From 2002 to 2007, IAC decided to launch the National Assembly’s website, a task which is now nearing its implementation. Several dignitaries also called on members of the IAC including the Deputy Speaker of the French National Assembly and Ambassadors based in Victoria. The IAC also managed to secure its own dedicated budget to be able to fulfill certain tasks set out under its TOR – Terms of Reference.

In early 2005 the IAC saw its Chairman nominated as ambassador to the EU. This led to disruption in the work that the IAC was undertaking. Following the departure of Hon. Faure and the 2007 National Assembly Election a new committee was elected in the National Assembly through a motion brought in by Hon. Waven William.

The new IAC comprises of Hons: Waven William-Chairman (SPPF) Ginette Gamatis - (SPPF) Jennifer Vel - (SPPF) Clifford Andre - (SPPF) Joseph Francois - (SPPF) Hon. Hardy Lucas - (SNP) Hon. Nicholas Prea - (SNP)

The present Committee has already held several meetings, attended a farewell lunch with the outgoing British Ambassador, Mrs. Diana Skingle. Three members attended a COMESA parliamentary conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from the 6th to 7th July 2007.

With the Assembly’s endeavor to portray already proposing a new image, the IAC is also gearing itself for new challenges and an increase in participation in preliminary discussions on different national and international issues.
Like all Committees, the IAC works on a non-partisan basis.

Already IAC members are involved in discussions regarding Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). Members also attended a National Seminar on Legislative Framework for Radiation Safety and Security in Seychelles Victoria, Seychelles 24-26 July 2007. The seminar was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and led by Mr. Karol SKORNIK, Regional Project Manager for IAEA. The Committee was represented by Hon. Waven William, Hon. Clifford Andre and Hon. Nicholas Prea.

The committee is also committed under an MOU signed with the Mauritian Parliament in 2005, to organize the re-launching of the Indian Ocean Parliamentary Association. The extra-ordinary meeting will be held in Seychelles later on this year.

It is worth to note that although IAC is of bi-partisan composition, there is a common understanding and approach to the work of the Committee for a common goal for the benefit of the National Assembly.