Sids-Sids cooperation dominates President Faure’s talks at the UN |22 September 2017

Cooperation between island countries once again dominated President Danny Faure’s meetings at the United Nations General Debate in New York yesterday.

President Faure first met Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth of Mauritius to discuss matters of mutual interest in the Indian Ocean, cooperation in the social sector including health and education, and an exchange of experiences in the rehabilitation of drug users among other bilateral issues.

In another meeting between small island developing states (Sids), President Tommy Remengesau of Palau expressed interest in benefiting from Seychelles’ experiences in building a Blue Economy, sourcing innovative financing for sustainable development and addressing climate change, and in maritime and especially fisheries surveillance at both the national and regional level.

Foreign Secretary Claude Morel attended a high-level event on ‘Enhancing Africa’s Response to Transnational Organised Crime’ hosted by the Institute for Security Studies, the International Police Organisation INTERPOL, and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime.

He also delivered a statement at a meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Mr Morel expressed Seychelles’ appreciation to China for upholding its pledges towards the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and for recognising and actively promoting the importance of the Blue Economy as an economic growth driver for island and coastal states.

Seychelles-China relations were built on very strong foundations, the Foreign Secretary said, and a “convergence of views and mutual aspirations in our quest to build a world governed by peace, dialogue, understanding, respect and solidarity”.

Seychelles Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Ronny Jumeau, attended a high-level dialogue entitled ‘The Oceans – a Wealth of Opportunities’. Co-hosted by Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Palauan President Tommy Remengesau, the event promoted action and international partnerships to strengthen the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and marine resources.