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On the occasion of Seychelles' 50th anniversary of its independence, celebrated on June 29 2026, heads of state and governments across the world sent their well wishes to the President of the Republic of Seychelles, Dr. Patrick Herminie and the people of Seychelles.

Among the many messages received were messages from leaders of diplomatic missions represented in Seychelles. In his message, H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, noted that over the past 50 years, China and Seychelles have consistently demonstrated mutual trust and support, fostering a steadfast and enduring friendship despite evolving international circumstances. President Xi further conveyed that, as the Republic of Seychelles commemorates the 50th Anniversary of its Independence, he extends his sincere wishes for lasting peace, continued prosperity, and the well-being of the people of Seychelles.

In her message, Her Excellency Smt. Droupadi Murmu, Honourable President of the Republic of India, highlighted the close and enduring partnership between India and Seychelles. She noted that the two countries share not only the waters of the Indian Ocean and deep historical ties, but also a steadfast commitment to the well-being of their peoples and to the security and stability of the region.  She further emphasised that the strong bilateral partnership continues to contribute to stability in the Western Indian Ocean region and reaffirmed India's readiness to further strengthen and deepen cooperation with Seychelles for the mutual benefit of both peoples and the wider Indian Ocean region as Seychelles embarks on its next chapter of nationhood.

The Emperor of Japan, H.E. Emperor NARUHITO and the Prime Minister of Japan, H.E. TAKAICHI Sanae also sent their congratulations on the occasion. Emperor NARUHITO extended his heartfelt congratulations and sincere good wishes to the President and the people of Seychelles. On her side, Prime Minister TAKAICHI highlighted the increasing bilateral cooperation between Seychelles and Japan since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries back in 1976. Prime Minister TAKAICHI noted that as an island nation, just like Seychelles, Japan remained committed to international cooperation in the maritime field and to climate change measures. She ended her message by thanking Seychelles for accepting to participate in the International Horticultural Expo 2027, to be held in Yokohama, Japan and hoped that the relationship between the two countries would make further leaps forward and that even stronger bonds of friendship would be built.

Seychelles also received a congratulatory message from His Excellency Mr. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation. In his message, President Putin noted that Russia–Seychelles relations are characterised by friendship, a sentiment he said was reaffirmed during bilateral discussions held in Moscow in April. He further expressed confidence that both countries would continue their joint efforts, including in the lead-up to the Third Russia-Africa Summit, to expand mutually beneficial cooperation across various fields for the benefit of their peoples.

The President of the Democratic Socialist of Sri Lanka, H.E. Anura Kumara Disanayaka joined the many leaders in congratulating President Herminie and the people of Seychelles on the occasion, noting that Seychelles and Sri Lanka shared a cordial and longstanding relationship founded on mutual respect and close cooperation in the regional and international foras. He ended his message by saying that he was confident that the friendship and cooperation between the two nations will continue to grow and strengthen for the countries mutual benefit.

In his message to the President, His Majesty, King Charles V noted that the United Kingdom valued its close and enduring partnership with Seychelles underpinned by the two countries' mutual commitment to democratic principles, rule of law and good governance. Furthermore, as a SIDS, Seychelles was an important partner in promoting stability, openness and respect for international law. His Majesty the King added that he looked forward to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November where he hoped they would reaffirm their shared commitments and chart a course for the future. He welcomed Seychelles' global leadership on ocean conservation and its approach to sustainable development which continues to be an example for SIDS and the wider international community. He extended his and his wife, Queen Camilla's best wishes to the President and the people of Seychelles on the occasion.

The President also received a congratulatory note from the President of the United States of America, H.E. Mr. Donald J. Trump, who praised Seychelles for being a key maritime security partner throughout the Indian Ocean region, noting that it was an area where the two countries work together to confront common threats. He ended his message by adding that the United States of America looked forward to further bolstering maritime security and trade cooperation with Seychelles, which he described as a model of good and stable governance.

Following President Trump, were the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan – President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum – Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai and High Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court of the UAE who congratulated President Herminie and the people of Seychelles on the occasion of Seychelles' Independence Day. They wished good health, happiness, further progress and prosperity to the President and people of Seychelles.

The President of the Republic of Zambia, H.E. Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, whose High Commissioner-designate will be presenting his credentials to President Herminie on Tuesday 7 July, also conveyed his heartfelt congratulations to the President and people of Seychelles on the occasion. President Hichilema noted that Zambia cherished the cordial relations that exist between Seychelles and Zambia and remained committed to strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

The President of the Republic of Palau, H.E. Mr. Surangel S. Whipps Jr. also sent a congratulatory message to his counterpart, noting that his country valued the friendship between the two countries and hoped to continuing close collaboration on shared priorities including climate change advocacy, environmental protection, and sustainable development as large ocean states. President Whipps Jr. traced back on Seychelles' accomplishments over the years in sustainability and ocean governance initiatives globally, like the BBNJ and gave his assurances that Palau would continue to work closely with Seychelles to turn these commitments into tangible protection for the high seas.

The President of the Republic of Malta, H.E. Ms. Myriam Spiteri Debono joined other world leaders in congratulating President Herminie and the people of Seychelles on the occasion and noted that the Republic of Malta was committed to strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries on the basis of mutual respect and cooperation.

In his message, the King of Spain, his Majesty Felipe V, together with the government and people of Spain, extended his congratulations to President Herminie and his best wishes for the peace and prosperity of the people of Seychelles.

H.E. Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations also conveyed his well wishes to the President and people of Seychelles, noting that national days served as important moments for reflection on a country's journey, its contributions to the international community and the aspirations that guide its future.

In his message on the occasion, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, sent his best wishes to the President and the people of Seychelles and prayed that the Almighty God blessed the nation with everlasting peace and fraternal solidarity.

Mr. Antonio COSTA, the President of the European Council, reaffirmed the European Union's longstanding partnership with Seychelles, built on shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. Over the past five decades, this collaboration has expanded across trade, sustainable fisheries, maritime security, and economic development, contributing to Seychelles' progress and prosperity. In light of evolving global challenges, including geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions, the EU underscored the importance of this trusted partnership and reiterated its commitment to working closely with Seychelles to address future challenges and advance the mutual interests of both peoples.

In her message, Her Excellency the Honourable Ms. Sam Mostyn, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, conveyed her warmest wishes to the Government and people of Seychelles, on behalf of the Government and people of Australia. As we mark 50 years of bilateral relations between our two countries, she expressed confidence that the friendly relations between Australia and Seychelles will continue to grow and prosper in the years ahead.

Messages to the President were also received from leaders of the following countries and organisations: the Republic of Malawi, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Nicaragua, the Republic of Benin, the Republic of Botswana, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Gabon, the Kingdom of Morocco, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Republic of South Africa, the Republic of Turkiye, the Republic of Zimbabwe, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the United Nations Development Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Republic of Seychelles.

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South Africa has entered a critical phase in its upstream development. With new petroleum legislation in place, a national petroleum company established and the Karoo shale gas moratorium lifted, the country has taken important steps toward unlocking its oil and gas potential. The key question now is whether South Africa can translate policy momentum into investment, and Angola's reform experience provides a practical roadmap for doing so.

In Crude Oil: Power, Turnaround and Transformation in Angola, NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, documents how coordinated legal, fiscal and structural reform reversed years of production decline in the country. The two countries operate in different contexts: Angola reformed a mature producing sector while South Africa is working to establish one. There is, however, a transferable lesson in the sequencing and institutional commitment that made Angola's reforms effective.

Angola Prioritized Structural Reform
When President João Lourenço took office in 2017, his administration conducted a 30-day sector review that led to sustained regulatory change. The newly-established National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG) took over upstream regulation, a function previously housed within state oil company Sonangol alongside its commercial portfolio. This coincided with the creation of a dedicated downstream regulator, Instituto Regulador dos Derivados do Petróleos, strengthening governance across the entire hydrocarbon value chain.

On a policy front, the 2018 Natural Gas Law gave Angola its first standalone framework for gas exploration and commercialization across an estimated 11 trillion cubic feet of reserves. The Permanent Offer Regime, introduced in 2021, opened acreage for negotiation on a rolling basis rather than through periodic bid rounds, resulting in 27 block awards. Following that, the Incremental Production Law came into effect in November 2024 and targets recovery of an estimated 500 million barrels from mature assets while extending their productive life by as much as 20 years.

These reforms quickly yielded strong results. Foreign direct investment rose by $2.59 billion in the same year Angola improved from 167th to 146th on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. Hydrocarbon production has now been sustained above one million barrels per day, while $70 billion in planned upstream investments signal rising international confidence in Angola's oil and gas opportunities.

“Angola's regulatory reforms demonstrate that political will, matched with clear fiscal and legal frameworks, can transform an upstream sector within a single policy cycle. These reforms offer critical lessons for countries such as South Africa, which has the opportunity to be a first-mover in establishing a strong regulatory environment,” states Ayuk.

South Africa's Regulatory Window is Open
South Africa has begun moving in a similar direction. The Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Act (UPRDA) was enacted in late 2024, consolidating upstream licensing and establishing a 20% mandatory carried interest for the state. The South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC) launched in May 2025, merging PetroSA, iGas and the Strategic Fuel Fund. In October 2025, the government lifted a 13-year moratorium on shale gas exploration in the Karoo Basin - estimated to contain up to 300 trillion cubic feet of shale resources.  

The challenge for South Africa is implementation. Environmental litigation has blocked or delayed offshore exploration by TotalEnergies and Shell since 2022. In August 2025, the Western Cape High Court rescinded the environmental authorization for Block 5/6/7 off the southwest coast. The Brulpadda and Luiperd gas-condensate discoveries in the Outeniqua Basin, which an FTI Consulting analysis estimates could contribute up to R25 billion per year to the balance of payments, remain undeveloped.

Angola's experience suggests that legislative reform alone does not produce investment outcomes. The country's upstream investment trajectory followed from how quickly and consistently those reforms were applied – from the ANPG's operational launch through to the rolling award of blocks under the Permanent Offer Regime.

With the UPRDA, the SANPC and the Karoo moratorium lift, South Africa has put its own legislative foundation in place. Whether it can match that pace of execution will determine if the current wave of exploration interest in southern Africa's offshore basins finally extends south of the Namibian border.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.