Letter to the Editor - Life goes on despite uncertainty over the future |30 September 2016

After waking up on Wednesday morning (28th September) to the shocking news that President James A. Michel has resigned from office so abruptly, leaving all of us wondering what is next – I am reminded that come what may, we must take life as usual as we look forward to a more settled and better future. We must, above all, make sure that this does not constitute a case of “Après moi, le déluge.” I am sure this will not be the case.

The national interest now calls for cool headedness and we must certainly look before we leap. Now more than ever before the spirit of reconciliation must prevail among all those who have the national interest at heart and who wish the Seychelles to remain an ‘oasis of peace’ in a world in turmoil.

Today (Thursday 29th September), a group of States put forward a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly to start negotiations towards a new treaty that would prohibit nuclear weapons.

What does that mean? It means our hard work is starting to pay off.

The States leading this initiative are Mexico, Austria, Ireland, Brazil, Nigeria and South Africa. While a majority of States, including Seychelles, have expressed support for developing a treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons, fierce opposition to this resolution is expected from the nuclear-armed States. States will vote on the resolution during the period October 24 to November 2, 2016.

The resolution proposes two negotiating conferences over 20 days at the United Nations in New York to conclude a new international treaty that would prohibit nuclear weapons.

This is a historic breakthrough in global efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

A ray of hope in an otherwise troubled world.

James R. Mancham

Disclaimer

The views expressed in these letters do not necessarily represent the views of the Seychelles NATION newspaper.