Seychelles president Albert Rene, one of Africa's longest-serving rulers, announced his retirement as head of state on Tuesday after dominating the island's politics for almost three decades.
Rene, 68, told the Indian Ocean archipelago's population of 80,000 in a televised speech he would step down as president after 27 years and hand power to vice-president James Michel.
"I shall be handing over the presidency to Vice-President James Michel later this year," Rene said before an audience of members of parliament and diplomats who gathered at the national assembly to hear the widely-anticipated announcement.