René, who was in office from 1977 until his retirement in 2004, took power after a coup d'état on 5 June 1977. James Mancham, who was president of the island nation at the time, was forced into exile.
In his condolence message, the current President of Seychelles, Danny Faure, described former President René as the modern architect of Seychelles.
The flags of the Seychelles archipelago in the western Indian Ocean will be at half-mast until the funeral of former President René.