Minister Myriam Telemaque, Minister of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status joined Ministers of Employment and Labour Sector (ELS) and Social Partners for the South African Development Community (SADC) ELS meeting, held from 26th of February to the 2nd of March 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa.

The SADC being an inter-governmental organisation with the goal to further socio-economic cooperation and integration hosted 14 member States for the meeting during which they received presentations by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), SADC representative as well as the incoming ELS Chairperson from Namibia whose presentation discussed the ELS priorities for 2018-2019. The strategic and policy dialogue held at the meeting focused on the combination of SADC laws, Labour Migration in the SADC region as well as global supply chains, of which the Seychelles is very well aware of. This dialogue provided the countries present at the meeting with a broader perspective to labour laws within and outside their countries.

The dialogues at the meeting served to solidify the continental and international commitments by the SADC preparing member States on issues to be discussed at the African Union (AU) and ILO sessions. In August 2018, Namibia will assume Chair of SADC therefore they will host the 2019 ELS meeting.

The Declaration of the SADC Ministers for Employment and Labour and Social Partners will serve to contribute immensely to an integrated future for the region by explaining the various ways and approaches to foster collaboration within the SADC countries. This will aid the reduction of unemployment, inequality and poverty through unemployment policies; in the long run facilitate inclusive economic growth for all member states.

Finally, Minister Telemaque formally engaged the Minister for Labour of the Republic of Mauritius, Hon. Soodesh Satkam Callichurn in a discussion on the excellent bilateral ties and strong bond between the government of Seychelles and the government of Mauritius. A study tour in Mauritius will be part of the Ministry of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status' future activities for the Ministry's institutional capacity building.

Minister Telemaque was accompanied at the meeting by the senior cooperation officer at the employment department, Melissa Duffets, and the secretary general of the Seychelles Federation of Workers' Union Antoine Robinson.