Seychelles,officially the Republic of Seychelles,is an island country and archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city,Victoria,is 1,500 kilometres east of mainland Africa. Nearby island countries and territories include the Comoros,Madagascar,Mauritius,and the French overseas departments of Mayotte and Réunion to the south;and Maldives and the Chagos Archipelago to the east. Seychelles is the smallest country in Africa as well as the least populated sovereign African country,with an estimated population of 100,600 in 2022.
Seychelles follows a policy of what it describes as "positive" nonalignment and strongly supports the principle of reduced superpower presence in the Indian Ocean. Seychelles' foreign policy position has placed it generally toward the left of the spectrum within the Non-Aligned Movement. Russia,the United Kingdom,France,India,the People's Republic of China,Libya and Cuba maintain embassies in Victoria.
France-Albert René was a Seychellois lawyer,politician and statesman who served as the second President of Seychelles from 1977 to 2004. He also served as the country's 2nd Prime Minister from its independence in 1976 to 1977.
Jacques Chaban-Delmas was a French Gaullist politician. He served as Prime Minister under Georges Pompidou from 1969 to 1972. He was the Mayor of Bordeaux from 1947 to 1995 and a deputy for the Gironde département between 1946 and 1997.
James Alix Michel,GCSK is a Seychellois politician who served as the third President of Seychelles from 2004 to 2016. He previously served as Vice President under his predecessor,France-Albert René,from 1996 to 2004.
United Seychelles is a political party in Seychelles. It publishes a newspaper called The People. It was known as the Seychelles People's Progressive Front until June 2009,when it changed its name to the People's Party. The party changed its name again in November 2018,from the People's Party to United Seychelles.
Jérémie Émile Patrick Bonnelame is a Seychellois political figure and diplomat. He was Secretary-General of the Indian Ocean Commission from 1993 to 1997,Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1997 to 2005,and was the Permanent Representative of the Seychelles to the United Nations from 2005 to 2007. He was the Chairman of the Constitutional Appointment Authority from July 2007 to July 2014(CAA).
Wavel Ramkalawan is a Seychellois politician and Anglican priest who has been serving as the President of Seychelles since 26 October 2020. Ramkalawan was an opposition MP from 1993 to 2011 and 2016 to 2020. He also served as the Leader of the Opposition from 1998 to 2011 and 2016 to 2020. On 25 October 2020,Ramkalawan won the presidential election,the country's first such victory for an opposition candidate since independence,marking its first successful peaceful transition of power.
The unicameral National Assembly is the Seychelles's legislative body.
Joseph Belmont was a Seychellois politician who was the Vice President of the Seychelles from 14 July 2004 until his retirement on 30 June 2010. He took office after President France-Albert Renéstepped down and the previous Vice-President,James Michel,replaced Renéas President. Belmont was one of the leading members of the Seychelles People’s Progressive Front (SPPF).
Jean-François Gabriel Ferrari is a Seychellois politician member of the National Assembly of Seychelles. On 3 November 2020,he was sworn in as Designated Minister and Minister of Fisheries.
Patrick Herminie is a Seychellois politician who served as a Speaker of the National Assembly of Seychelles from 2007 to 2016. He was first elected to the Assembly in 1993 and served as Leader of Government Business from 1998 to 2003. He was a member of the People's Party and plans to run in the 2025 presidential election as the candidate for the United Seychelles Party (USP).
The Seychelles made their Paralympic Games début at the 1992 Summer Paralympics in Barcelona,with just two representatives. Cyrl Charles competed in swimming,while Elvis Victor entered the shot put. Neither man won a medal. Cyrl Charles also competed in 2016,aged 53.
Danny Faure is a Seychellois politician who served as the fourth President of Seychelles from 16 October 2016 until 26 October 2020. Previously,he served as Vice President of Seychelles from 2010 to 2016. Faure is a member of the United Seychelles Party (PP).
Jean-Paul Adam is a Seychellois politician. He served as Minister of Health and Social Affairs in the Cabinet of Seychelles until 30 October 2020. He previously served as Minister of Finance,Trade &The Blue Economy from 2015 to 2016,and,before that,as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2010 to 2015. He is currently Director Policy,Monitoring and Advocacy in the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa to the Secretary-General. Immediately prior to this,over 2020–2023,he was Director for Technology,Climate Change and Natural Resources Management at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
Saleumxay Kommasith is a Laotian politician who has been Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos since April 2016. He is one of 13 members of 11th Politburo of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.
Seychelles sent a delegation to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil,from 7 to 18 September 2016. This was the second time that the country took part in the Summer Paralympic Games after it made its debut twenty-four years prior at the 1992 Summer Paralympics and established a new National Paralympic Committee with assistance from UK Sport. Discus thrower Cyril Charles was the only competitor that the nation sent to Rio de Janeiro. In his event,the men's Javelin F56–57,he ranked fourteenth and last out of all the competing athletes with a personal best throw of 16.97 metres.
Macsuzy Mondon is a Seychellois teacher and politician who has served in the Cabinet of Seychelles as Designated Minister and Minister of Local Government from October 2016 until 3 November 2020.
Dr Jean DésiréMaximeFerrari, KSS,OBE was a politician and former obstetrician who held several different positions in the government of the Seychelles. He was widely regarded as an activist against corrupt governmental practices and a champion of human rights and democracy in the African island nations of the Indian Ocean.
