The Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) celebrates its 40th anniversary this Wednesday, December 21. The IOC is an intergovernmental organization which brings together five Member States: the Union of the Comoros, France in respect of Reunion, Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles.
It was Mauritius, Madagascar and the Seychelles that had recorded the creation of the IOC in 1982 with the signing of the Declaration of Port-Louis. Then, the IOC was institutionalized in Seychelles in 1984 by the General Cooperation Agreement, better known as the “Victoria Accord”.
For the 40th anniversary of the COI, Seychelles NATION met Mrs. Jeannette d’Offay who was the oldest of the Permanent Liaison Officers (OPL). She was the first Seychelles OPL for the IOC.
Currently retired, Mrs. d’Offay recounts what she experienced during all these years with the IOC.
Seychelles NATION: If you can introduce yourself to our readers.
Mrs. d’Offay: I am married and I have two children. The last position I had before retiring was at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Seychelles NATION: You were among those who witnessed the signing of the General Cooperation Agreement, better known as the “Victoria Accord in 1984”. Describe this historic moment to us.
Ms. d’Offay: The Port-Louis Declaration was initialed in Mauritius in 1982 and it was Ambassador Callixte d’Offa who attended. On the other hand, I had attended the signing of the Victoria Accord during a Council of Ministers as an OPL. For us it was intense and new, because we barely knew the islands of the Indian Ocean and there was no real collaboration between the islands. It was an opportunity for the islands to see how to work together and for the well-being of their citizens.
Seychelles NATION: You were also the first Permanent Liaison Officer of Seychelles for the IOC, tell us about your experience.
Ms. d’Offay : After the signing in 1982, a liaison officer was to be appointed and that is where I was appointed. It was an enriching experience and I had the opportunity to know the islands of the Indian Ocean and the people of these islands. We had the opportunity to discuss together and see how to collaborate to make things work.
Each year, the IOC held meetings in the island that held the presidency and the OPLs had the chance to reach all these meetings and also to visit the islands to better know the projects that were taking place there. For several years – from 1983 to 2013 – I was the OPL for Seychelles.
Seychelles NATION: Tell us about the beginning of cooperation between the islands of the Indian Ocean; were all the islands ready to become a force in the region?
Mrs. d’Offay: Yes, they were ready and they all had their agenda. Gradually we learned how to work together and see how to strengthen what we were doing at the regional level on a national level. The Comoros had joined the IOC in 1986 and before creating the secretariat, the Australian government had financed a tour for the LPOs in the regions where there was already regional cooperation. We had the chance to visit Fiji, Samoa among others.
Seychelles NATION: Tell us some anecdotes that you experienced or that marked you while representing Seychelles on the IOC.
Ms. d’Offay: The first summit we had in Madagascar was a highlight. It was a great moment and all the Heads of State were in favor of working together, continuing this cooperation and developing it gradually. All the representatives of the different islands felt united and ready to work together.
Seychelles NATION: Do you believe that the IOC has created its place within the administrations of the countries?
Ms. d’Offay: Yes. At the beginning it was not so easy, because the countries had their own priorities and it was not easy to pass the idea that it was necessary to see at the regional level and to try to budget some pennies for the projects of the IOC. It is true that the projects are mainly financed by international organisations, but at the national level a counterpart was needed. At the beginning, it was not easy but then they understood the need to budget for these projects that contributed at the national level. The countries only pay a contribution and it is not enough to carry out the projects.
Seychelles NATION: The IOC works with several international bodies. Do you think these collaborations are bearing fruit?
Ms. d’Offay: Yes, she works a lot with international bodies and I think that these collaborations are bearing fruit. We have witnessed this collaboration in the field of meteorology as well as during the period of the pandemic. The islands kept abreast of developments and also progress. There is real collaborative work between the different islands.
Seychelles NATION: Do you think the IOC has received or is succeeding in its mandate?
Ms. d’Offay: I think so, even if not on a large scale. The IOC tries and continues to try to bring the people of the islands together.
Seychelles NATION: You were in Foreign Affairs until your retirement and your job was to serve your country permanently. How do you see the development of Seychelles during all these years on regional cooperation?
Ms. d’Offay: I believe that we have made quite a bit of progress. Seychelles benefits from all these organizations of which it is a member. We try to give our support and also to grow from year to year.
Seychelles NATION: Your family in all this?
Mrs. d’Offay: I am a mother of two children and when I started working in Foreign Affairs I started to travel a lot. My two children were very young but my family never prevented me from working. My family has supported me throughout my career. My son was in Foreign Affairs but he changed jobs and my daughter is a teacher.
Seychelles NATION: Now retired, what does Ms D’Offay do?
Mrs. d’Offay: I take care of the house, I cook and I read a lot. I traveled to visit my sister in Australia and visit Vietnam. During the pandemic, I was at home with my son and my daughter who does not live very far from my house came to visit me. Every day I follow the news.
Seychelles NATION: What is your wish for the IOC?
Ms. d’Offay: I hope that the IOC will continue to progress and that it will continue to help the islands to collaborate and get along.
Ms. d’Offay pointed out that there are not many Seychellois who work or have worked for the IOC and she encouraged Seychellois to take an interest in the IOC and its development. So far there have been the Secretaries General – Jeremie Bonnelame and Callixte d’Offay – and Mrs. Gina Bonne who is still at the IOC.
Source: Seychelles Nation
