“Seychelles calls upon Indians to come and explore the plethora of adventures that await in the vast expanse the Indian Ocean.”
In November 2023, you were welcomed by your Indian counterpart Dr. S Jaishankar on your maiden foreign visit to India. Can you please share some key takeaways from this important diplomatic visit?
I have been associated with India since the days of my ambassadorship and it was a matter of great pride to visit India as a foreign minister again. India has been a strong pillar of support and a staunch friend of Seychelles through decades of our bilateral relationship. We are grateful for this partnership which extends to multiple and diverse areas of co-operation. The steadfastness and commitment of India to this partnership was evident during COVID 19 outbreak as India became one of the few countries to extend support for the vital COVID 19 vaccination program. My visit was also undertaken to further reaffirm and strengthen our support for India, while also looking at new areas of support.
During my visit a broad discussion was held both on multilateral and bilateral issues alike. These included a successful G20 summit being organised under the Presidency of India where African Union became a permanent member of G20 through staunch advocacy by India. We also appreciate India’s focus on the issues of the global south. A considerable focus on G 20 2023 Action Plan to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Secondly, military co-operation to strengthen maritime security in the Indian Ocean has been a major area of co-operation among the two nations. India has extended immense support to safeguard Seychelles against piracy, illegal arms and drugs trafficking and protect its tourism and fishing industries. India has regularly conducted joint military exercises and provided us experts and equipment to our defence forces here. Replacement of PB Hermes patrol boat for the Seychelles Coast Guard was also discussed.
Thirdly, India has also been instrumental in implementing a series of infrastructure projects ranging from newly constructed Court House to multiple community need specific projects related to roads etc. I highlighted the need for extending this co-operation to other areas of potential partnership with my counterpart here in India. I believe social housing and public transport are few such areas that have so much potential for a deeper bilateral partnership via Line of Credit assistance from India. India and Seychelles both have advocated for moving towards a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI). A Multidimensional Vulnerability Index needs to be considered while providing assistance to small island nations like Seychelles rather than merely looking a thigh GDP per capita. MVI is able to reflect the true realities of a nation than any other measure or standard and hence aides in supporting nations in actual need of developmental funds.
Lastly, a meeting at Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) House with Indian business was attended by me. I highlighted existing investment opportunities in Seychelles in various sectors such as in Infrastructure development and Tourism. I extended an invite for possible partnership by an Indian company ‘HMA Group of Companies’ with the FIFA BEACH SOCCER World Cup to be hosted by Seychelles in 2025. A discussion to explore the possibility of the signing of a MoU between FICCI and the Seychelles Chamber of Commerce was also held there. Upon a visit to the Lalit Suri Hospitality School possible exchanges between the School with Seychelles Tourism Academy of Lecturers and students was deliberated upon for future partnership between the two schools in areas of mutual interests.
India and Seychelles have a multi-sector developmental partnership such as information technology, infrastructure, healthcare etc. What are some other major areas that the two nations can explore for bilateral co-operation?
Seychelles stands to gain immensely from the great strides taken by India in the field of infrastructure and energy. It will help Seychelles evolve towards fulling its own infrastructural and energy needs in a sustainable manner. We look forward to assistance and expertise from India to develop our energy sector. Similarly, agriculture sector is another area where the two countries can collaborate to seek solutions while harnessing renewable energy for a sustainable development under initiatives such as International Solar Alliance spearheaded by India.
Bilateral assistance and partnership for blue economy serves as a crucial factor in fostering sustainable development within India and Seychelles. What are some of the key steps undertaken for the same?
Blue economy is of immense strategic and economic importance for Seychelles. Seychelles looks forward to harnessing this opportunity as an island country with India’s assistance to effectively manage and utilize marine resources in a sustainable manner. We seek India’s assistance in capacity development for our blue economy vision. It involves various initiatives aimed at enhancing the skills, knowledge and competence of our people India has been providing specialized training programs for Seychellois professionals and stakeholders involved in marine conservation, fisheries management, marine spatial planning, and sustainable aquaculture. These programs are often conducted through collaboration between educational institutions, research organizations, and government agencies from both countries. Indian experts and consultants offer technical assistance to Seychellois counterparts in areas such as marine research methodologies, data analysis techniques, and the implementation of best practices in marine resource management. This assistance helps strengthen the technical capacity of Seychellois institutions and enables them to undertake scientific studies and assessments independently. Exchange visits and fellowship programs facilitate the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and best practices between Indian and Seychellois professionals. These initiatives allow Seychellois experts to gain hands-on experience in Indian institutions, research facilities, and field projects related to the blue economy, fostering peer-to-peer learning and collaboration. Hence, Seychelles is eager to learn and adapt from India’s vast powerhouse of knowledge and technology to best develop and preserve our economic and environmental resources. Expeditions: Joint scientific expeditions are organized to explore marine habitats, conduct surveys, and document biodiversity in Seychellois waters. These expeditions may utilize research vessels, underwater drones, and other advanced technologies to collect samples and gather data for scientific analysis. India and Seychelles exchange data and information related to marine research and monitoring efforts, facilitating collaborative analysis and interpretation of data sets. This sharing of information enhances the scientific understanding of marine ecosystems and supports evidence-based decision-making in resource management. These initiatives demonstrate the commitment of India and Seychelles to harnessing the potential of the blue economy for sustainable development while addressing common challenges and promoting mutual cooperation in ocean governance and conservation.
The government of Seychelles has undertaken numerous steps to promote Seychelles as a key tourist destination among Indians such a visa free entry. Kindly elaborate on some other such initiatives as well as the vision of your government for the same.
India tends to hold tremendous potential in terms of boosting the tourism industry in Seychelles if we were to go by simply the population figures and consider the geographical proximity of the two countries. In 2019, Seychelles witnessed a significant increase in Indian tourist arrivals compared to previous years. The government of Seychelles has indeed taken several initiatives to promote the country as a key tourist destination among Indians.
Seychelles offers visa-free entry to all passport holders including the Indians making it for tourism purposes easier for Indians to visit the country. However, the biggest challenge undermining this potential is adequate air connectivity between the two countries. Currently Air Seychelles operates one flight from Mumbai to Seychelles, which is obviously not enough to cater to the growing demand. A reliable air connectivity is the key for attracting more Indian tourists to Seychelles. An added advantage for Seychelles lies in the fact that owing to robust tourism promotion in India, Indians are well aware of the opportunities that Seychelles has to offer. The multicultural culinary ethos of Seychelles with delicacies ranging from Indian to a vast variety of other culinary traditions is another major attraction for Indian tourists. However, air connectivity still remains the primary agenda for realising the full potential of tourism industry. Connectivity-The government has worked to improve air connectivity between India and Seychelles, with direct flights operated by Air Seychelles from Mahe to Mumbai as well as other middle eastern and African airlines offering a service through their hubs. Visitors can also connect via Colombo. We are hopeful that international Indian air carriers like Air India and Indigo will take positive steps in the near future to provide a more reliable and efficient direct connectivity between both the nations. In light with of the same a meeting chaired by Minister Derjacques on 6th February, 2024 was attended by stakeholders from the Tourism Department, Foreign Affairs Department, SCAA and Air Seychelles. It was decided that a technical level team from the Ministry of Transport will be visiting India to discuss the renewal of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement and possible flights from Seychelles to Delhi.
Seychelles has conducted yearly targeted marketing campaigns in India to promote the country as a holiday destination. These campaigns highlight the country’s natural beauty, pristine beaches, and unique culture. Through these campaigns Seychelles has executed impactful projects i.e. inviting top Indian wedding fashion designer Sabyasachi to launch his summer collection in Seychelles and even had one of the songs in Rocky Handsome filmed Seychelles. Seychelles through its travel trade partners and the tourism department has collaborated with Indian tour operators to create attractive tourism packages for Indian travellers, offering a range of experiences from luxury resorts to local authentic experience and eco-tourism adventures. Seychelles has promoted cultural exchanges between India and Seychelles, showcasing Seychellois culture and traditions to Indian visitors. For Several years there were several cultural manifestations such as the Seychelles-India Day where Top chefs, artists and celebrities were brought to Seychelles for these exchanges as well. The vision of the Seychelles government for promoting tourism from India includes increasing the number of Indian tourists visiting the country, diversifying the tourism offerings to cater to different segments of the Indian market.
India and Seychelles had signed an MOU on for cooperation in the field of youth affairs and sports. Where do you place the importance of such bilateral partnerships between the two countries?
In order to foster a strong long-term bilateral partnership, it is essential to have people to people connect between the two nations. In spirit of the same we look forward to encourage youth exchange programmes with an aim to provide the opportunity for exchange of diverse ideas and experiences. One such delegation from Confederation of Young Leaders headed by Mr Himadrish Suwan undertook a visit to Seychelles last month. These visits and exchanges open up new avenues for greater co-operation and initiate programmes for training of the youth in multiple fields. Further 12 young people from the Seychelles National Youth Council of Seychelles recently participated in the Youth Exchange Programme 2024 in India. They were invited by the National Cadets Corps of India to be part of the program from 15 to 29th January 2024. They were also able to participate in the India Independence Day activity in January this year. The MoU on Cooperation in the field of Youth Affairs and Sports has been signed in order to encourage exchange of programmes, experiences, skills, techniques, information, documentations and knowledge. Youth exchange programmes are aimed to familiarize our young generation with the youth policies and development programmes for youth organizations. We also look forward to exchange and training in the fields of infrastructure management and maintenance of facilities, Information technology related to sports management.
The government of Seychelles set up Diaspora Unit in 2021 to promote the interest of the Seychellois nationals abroad and provide the necessary guidance in connecting further with Seychelles. How has this initiative worked so far?
Ever since the current government under the leadership of President Wavel Ramkalawan took office there has been a remarkable shift in the outlook towards overseas Seychellean diaspora. The current government resolved to repose faith in the overseas Seychellean diaspora spread across Australia, Cananda the UK, France and Africa that they are very much an integral part of the larger Seychellean social fabric. In order to facilitate communication and contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs created a Special Diaspora Unit. Since its set- up, the Unit has registered over 1,600 members of the Seychellois diaspora (directly with the Unit and through our Diplomatic Missions/Honorary Consulates).
The ministry is also in the process of setting up develop the first National Diaspora Policy 2024-2029 with the support of the International Organisation from Migration (IOM) diaspora policy. During the development of the National Diaspora Policy, the Unit has engaged with numerous stakeholders such as the civil society, private sector and Seychelles Diplomatic Network. Further, the government is also in the process of conducting a survey of Seychellois people living abroad, in order to create a database of their residence and contact information. This database shall help us to tap into the overseas human resource of Seychelles as diverse opportunities are created within the country. We shall prefer to connect with Seychellean diaspora not necessarily for them to move back to Seychelles but to use their intellectual expertise in finding solutions to problems that we face rather than looking for help from the outside. We also envision a point in future where overseas Seychellean diaspora would be able to actively participate in the affairs of the country with a right to participate in the electoral process. The connect with the diaspora is further sought to be deepened with organisation of a meeting between the local Seychellean diaspora and the President on all his visits abroad. It ensures a direct access and connect with the country’s top leadership that ensures that their views are adequately heard by those in decision-making roles.
With a professional career donning multiple roles from serving the UNESCO to various diplomatic missions abroad. How do you see these experiences shape your now public role of the Minister of for Foreign Affairs and Tourism?
In my experience I believe it has been a very unique learning graph for me as an individual. I had the opportunity to progressively move upwards from the very bottom of the hierarchy as a young diplomat to an ambassador to now being a Minister for Foreign Affairs. This sort of training from seemingly basic tasks of being a desk office to being posted overseas contributes immensely to my functioning as an able Minister for Foreign Affairs today. It has enabled me to have a clear vision of as to what my role and responsibilities are and how best to serve my country by fulfilling them. It not only helps me in performing my duties well but also to guide and support my own juniors and the government in general. Moreover, I would strongly suggest the youth to try and gain as much work experience in different fields outside the government services such as working for the private sector. President Wavel Ramkalawan set out to have a diversity of individuals with varied work experiences and expertise to join the government. It this technocrat group of individuals that I feel I’m a part of, who bring a new outlook for government functioning.
Would you like to give any message to our Envoy Excellency readers?
India and Seychelles share very cordial relations that have been nurtured over multiple decades. We look forward to further strengthen this bilateral partnership via deeper people-to-people contact. Moreover, Indian Ocean serves as an expansive chain of geographic connection between both the nations. Seychelles calls upon Indians to come and explore the plethora of adventures that await in the vast expanse the Indian Ocean. We encourage Indians to come and discover a world of unique and peaceful environment. We hope that over the years, the relationship between our two countries and our people continue to grow and develop to new heights of partnership.