The meeting took place as part of the Seychelles Investment Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa, held between July 21-22, 2011.

Matters under discussion included an invitation for COMESA members to convene in Seychelles for a special meeting and also ways to use the 2012 Seychelles “Carnaval International de Victoria,” scheduled to take place between March 2-4, 2012, as a forum for African countries to promote their cultures.

“We at the Tourism Board believe that, although Seychelles may only be small in size and population, we can achieve things totally disproportionate to our size if we find the right partners and engage with them in ways that are mutually beneficial,” commented Alain St.Ange, “It is time that ‘Africa does for Africa’ and that African nations stand shoulder to shoulder with their African brothers to raise their individual and collective profiles. We cannot expect these things to happen by themselves, we have to actively seek them and nurture them so that we can harvest the benefits.”

It is expected that further meetings will take place between COMESA and the Tourism Board in the near future to confirm arrangements for greater participation from African countries in the 2nd edition of Seychelles’ new and unique carnival of carnivals.