Seychelles and Mauritius must have a more integrated approach for addressing jointly emerging global issues of common concerns and interests on important international platforms, said a top official at the opening of the  13th Session of the Commission on Bilateral Cooperation.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the 13th Session, hhich is taking place in Seychelles, started on Monday at the senior officials level.

In her opening remarks, the Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs and co-chair of the session, Ambassador Vivianne Fock Tave, said that "our partnership is solid, unwavering, nurtured over the years, based on values and interests that we share. And our meeting this week, will allow us to further consolidate and enhance this partnership."

Fock Tave said that the two countries should aim to achieve tangible results.

"We have an obligation, therefore, to be more committed to not only the implementation of the decisions that we will agree upon during our deliberations but to also take bolder, more innovative measures to build a new paradigm of mutually beneficial, forward-looking cooperation initiatives," she added.

She highlighted that Seychelles and Mauritius have common interests and concerns at both regional and international levels and it is, therefore, important to have a more integrated approach.

"It is only by working closely together can we ensure that their agendas are supportive of and complement our development agendas," she added.

Ravindranath Sawmy, head of the Bilateral Africa Directorate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade of Mauritius, stressed the need to "formulate joint strategies, explore new areas of cooperation, amplify our voices in promoting the interests of SIDS and advancing collective economic development."

The co-chair said that with the support from our regional partners, "we can work towards making a positive contribution to the work of the United Nation Security Council and promoting global peace and security while also raising the concerns of the SIDS."

The Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation, which takes place every two years, is a platform where discussions focus on strengthening and expanding on cooperation between the two countries.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the parties, that last met in Port Louis in 2017, had to postpone their meeting until 2023.