Seychelles presents relevant projects to SADC |09 July 2012

              
 

Environment and Energy Minister Professor Rolph Payet said this soon after he returned from a SADC meeting for ministers responsible for infrastructure which approved US $358 billion for the SADC Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan, RIDMP (2013-2027) when they met on June 28 in Luanda, Angola.

The master plan – to be implemented in three phases – also includes a programme specifically targeting the needs of the oceanic states, namely Seychelles and Mauritius.

Seychelles was instrumental in obtaining a decision by the SADC ministers with regard to infrastructure projects which address the specific needs of oceanic states in areas of energy, transport, tourism, information communication technology, meteorology and water.

The RIDMP will be the basis for SADC’s future cooperation on regional infrastructure development, joint planning, resource mobilisation, partnership with international cooperation and development partners, the private sector investors and other development agencies.

Prof Payet said the projects will further be approved by a SADC heads of state meeting due to be held next month.

He told the local media that while African nations can share infrastructure like roads or electricity generated from rivers, island nations do not have the chance to do that as they are isolated, naming measures to ease congestion of the roads as one of the many projects under consideration.

He said SADC representatives will soon meet with potential donor agencies with a view to funding the infrastructure plan.

Prof Payet was accompanied at the meeting by the director of development and regional integration in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kenneth Racombo.

He reiterated in his statement to the meeting that with only 87,000 inhabitants, Seychelles encounters numerous sustainable development challenges; limited resources, remoteness, vulnerability to external shocks, excessive dependence on international trade and fragile environments to name a few impacts which negative effects on our economic development.