Seychelles establishes relations with Kiribati |01 March 2017

Seychelles has signed an agreement with the Republic of Kiribati for the establishment of diplomatic relations. 

The signing took place between the Chargé d’affaires, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Seychelles to the United Nations, Beryl Samson and Makurita Baaro, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kiribati to the United Nations.

Kiribati is one of the Commonwealth countries, formerly known as the Gilbert Islands, consisting of three widely separated main groups of southwest Pacific islands: the Gilberts on the equator, the Phoenix Islands to the east, and the Line Islands further east.

Most of the islands of Kiribati are low-lying coral atolls built on a submerged volcanic chain and encircled by reefs.

It is the only country in the world to fall into all the four hemispheres of the world; Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western. Kiribati is also one of four lowest-lying countries in the world that will be the first to disappear with sea level rise.

“The establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kiribati and the Republic of Seychelles come at an opportune time when members of the United Nations are pushing for “CALL FOR ACTION” for the UN Conference to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development,” stated Ambassador Samson.

She expressed Seychelles’ gratitude to the government and people of the Kiribati for their support and for standing united with the Sids (small islands developing states) Group, particularly through the Alliance of the Small Island States (Aosis), to realise one of the most significant agreements of our time, the Paris Agreement.

Both ambassadors share the view that the work does not end there, and that going forward would require continued, concerted and collective efforts of all Sids to put up a united front to ensure that world leaders honour their commitments made in the Agreement.

Ambassador Samson further said that central to the remit of our humanity is the seventeen (17) Sustainable Development Goals. An agenda, although hugely ambitious, can act as an impetus to transform our world and ensure peaceful, well governed societies which live sustainably and in harmony with the environment. 

Ambassador Samson called upon the two island nations to collaborate, through the South-South, and especially Sids-Sids, cooperation, by exchanging expertise and sharing best practices in the pursuance of these noble goals. 

Both Seychelles and Kiribati hope that through the formalisation of their relations, they will be able to tap into new avenues, strengthen their friendships and take the bilateral relations to greater heights.

As Island countries, endowed with oceans and marine resources, both nations stand to benefit through the signing of a General Cooperation Agreement, particularly in the Blue Economy.