(Seychelles News Agency) - Seychelles and Cooks Islands formalised diplomatic relations through the signing of a joint communiqué on the margins of the Fourth Small Island States Conference (SIDS4) being held in Antigua and Barbuda.

According to the Seychelles' Foreign Affairs Department on Friday, the joint communiqué was signed by Seychelles Minister Sylvestre Radegonde and the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Mark Brown, witnessed by Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan.

The signing marks the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the two nations and underscores the shared commitment of both governments to deepen friendship and cooperation in political, economic, and cultural areas, among others, according to the government.

The ceremony on the margins of the SIDS4 conference highlights Seychelles' proactive advocacy for cooperation between SIDS to address their unique challenges such as climate change, sustainable development, environmental degradation, and economic vulnerabilities, the statement further adds.

The signing is a result of recent bilateral talks held between President Ramkalawan and Prime Minister Brown in Spain at the United Nations' Ocean Decade Conference in April.