President Faure revitalises international partnerships |30 December 2017
In his first full year in office, President Danny Faure has continued to revitalise international partnerships and prompted friends of Seychelles to take on a greater share of the burden of fighting drug trafficking in the Indian Ocean region.
President Faure has taken actions to protect our people, make their lives better and eliminate drug threats at their source. He has done so by going on overseas missions to Kenya, Cuba, United Arab Emirates (UAE), South Africa, Sri Lanka and Mauritius.
First state visit to Kenya
The Seychelles-Kenya political and business relations entered a new stage this year as the leaders of both countries held in-depth and fruitful talks, summarised the development experience of the bilateral relations, and jointly planned their future cooperation during President Faure’s state visit to Kenya at the invitation of his counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta.
President Faure was received on Monday April 3, 2017 by Mr Kenyatta at the State House, Nairobi where he was accorded full military honours, including a 21-gun salute.
The president led his delegation in bilateral talks with the Kenyans aimed at bolstering cooperation between Seychelles and Kenya. Both sides committed to maintaining close cooperation and strengthening trade and security in the Indian Ocean and eastern African region so as to push forward the bilateral strategic cooperative partnership.
President Faure also impressed on the need to reinvigorate efforts to scale up collaboration in mutual areas of interest identified.
The following decisions were taken during President Faure’s visit:
1. Combat against trafficking of illegal narcotics
• Decision for exchange of information and also exchange of intelligence between the National Drugs Enforcement Agency (NDEA) and its respective counterpart in Kenya.
• Decision to increase security at the ports and airports to curtail the inflow of illegal drugs into the respective countries.
2. Agriculture and Fisheries
Threemain areas of collaboration have been identified under the Fisheries and Agriculture umbrella. They are:
• Cooperation in fisheries, where Kenya wants to learn from Seychelles’ management of sustainable fishing, more specifically in the areas of joint monitoring control (to fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated {IUU} fishing and piracy), establishing information protocol, exchange of experiences in food processing and sharing of knowledge in fish inspection and quality assurance to name a few;
• Horticulture, where Seychelles can import flowers, fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices from Kenya;
• Livestock products (meat, poultry and dairy): The Seychelles delegation has met with representatives from Farmer’s Choice and Kenchick and it was decided that Seychelles will facilitate the importation of products from both companies in line with Seychelles’ efforts to lower the cost of living. Contact has already been made and it is all up to the demands of the Seychelles market.
The Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Kenya has expressed his interest to come to Seychelles to visit the tuna canning factory (IOT).
3. Technical assistance
• It was decided that Seychelles would recruit professionals from Kenya where there is a surplus, particularly in the education sector where there is a need in Seychelles for teachers of science, mathematics and social sciences subjects. Also for land surveyors, architects and project officers for the department of land use.
• To modernise the technical cooperation agreement signed in 1990 (done on Seychelles’ side)
4. Civil Aviation and Tourism
• Seychelles and Kenya will be looking at the joint marketing strategy of two-centre destinations, being the Safari brand of Kenya and the Beach brand of Seychelles.
• Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine Minister Maurice Loustau-Lalanne on April 4, 2017 signed on behalf of the Seychelles Tourism Board a joint marketing agreement with Kenya Airways.
• After discussions with Kenya Airways, there is a possibility of having a cargo plane coming to Seychelles with 10 tonnes of goods (10 tonnes is the minimum amount for the plane to be commercially viable) and Seychelles needs to go and look at what it can export back to Kenya (also 10 tonnes) aside from fish so that it can also benefit from the arrangement and export its products to Kenya. Kenya Airways has decided to start the service of the cargo plane once the Seychelles’ side is ready.
• There is a possibility of Kenya Airways having more flights to Seychelles (from 4 to 5 and hopefully more later on). However this will depend on how good the marketing strategy for the joint holiday package is.
• Kenya Airways and the Kenya Tourism Board will be coming to Seychelles around mid-May for further talks which will lead to the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Seychelles Tourism Board and Kenya Tourism Board.
• The Ministry of Tourism of Kenya has provided Seychelles with a draft MoU on tourism development for consideration.
• It was decided that Seychelles re-looks into the MoU between Kenya’s Utali College and Seychelles Tourism Academy and increase exchanges.
5. Civil Society and establishment of partnership and exchanges
• Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Wilson Nancy signed a MoU with his counterpart, Kiprono Kittony, the chairman of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry on April 5, 2017.
• Citizens Engagement Platform of Seychelles (Ceps) chairman Jules Hoareau also signed a MoU with his counterpart from Kenya’s Non-Governmental Organisations Coordination Board, Faizul Mohammed Yusuf, on April 5, 2017.
6. Defence and security
• Decision for Seychelles to help Kenya build its coastguard so that it is prepared for the fight against illegal drugs trafficking, IUU fishing via joint patrolling, training and intelligence exchange.
7. Parliamentary diplomacy and exchange
• It was decided that there would be exchanges between the two parliaments.
8. Invitation for President Uhuru Kenyatta to visit Seychelles
• President Faure extended a formal invitation for President Uhuru Kenyatta to visit Seychelles.
9. Bilateral joint commission
• It was decided that the first bilateral joint commission would take place in Seychelles in June or July 2017.
State visit to Cuba
Returning to Cuba where he studied at university level, President Faure met his counterpart Raul Castro during the state visit and undertook a series of visits to two key health establishments ̶ the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Centre and the Institute of Tropical Medicine ‘Petro Kouri’ (IPK) ̶ opening up new avenues for health cooperation opportunities for Seychelles.
Since the Institute of Tropical Medicine ‘Petro Kouri’ (IPK) specialises in the prevention of the spreading of tropical communicable diseases and facilitates the development of biomedical research and training throughout Cuba, President Faure discussed the possibility of obtaining IPK’s support in the sharing of effective researched health practices that can improve Seychelles’ public health system.
Working visit to Sri Lanka
During his working visit to Sri Lanka, President Faure held bilateral talks with President Maithripala Sirisena and he expressed satisfaction on the outcome of his visit and averred that the talks with the different ministers were highly successful and spoke of the need to build on the momentum in order to elevate the bilateral relationship to new heights.
He thanked Sri Lanka for the services being rendered by its professionals ‒ teachers, doctors, legal and judicial personal among others ‒ towards the development of Seychelles.
President Faure expressed the need to pursue and develop cooperation in the fields of tourism, agriculture and fisheries. In the agricultural sector, Seychelles will be learning from the knowhow of Sri Lanka as well as strive for increased trade and commerce in the context of the south-south cooperation.
President Faure also stated that Seychelles wishes to enhance cooperation in the fields of judiciary and legal affairs.
The president also sought the cooperation of Sri Lanka in the fight against the transnational drug problems which is affecting both countries and severely impacting on the economic and social development of our countries and the region.
On the medical side, President Faure stated his desire to expand cooperation in this sector, noting the significant number of Seychellois seeking medical help in Sri Lankan hospitals including Hemas and Lanka which he visited.
37th SADC Summit in Pretoria
Addressing the 37th SADC Summit of Heads of States and Governments in Pretoria, South Africa, President Faure highlighted that Seychelles has seen an increase in HIV infections due to the rise in intravenous drug users. Consequently, he proposed the urgent need to therefore jointly address the drug problem as a region.
The secretariat welcomed his proposal and decided to put in place the necessary mechanism via a task force to elaborate on this issue and contribute to a strategic roadmap, which should be submitted for consideration at the next Council meeting in March 2018.
During a meeting with the President of the Republic of South Africa Jacob Gedleyihkisa Zuma and David Mbangiseni Mahlobo, Minister of State Security, on the sidelines of the 37th SADC Summit, President Faure and his South African counterpart agreed to work on a framework of cooperation in the areas of police and regional security.
Key activities to be developed between the two police forces and respective authorities in charge of national security would include capacity building exercises such as assessment and training, exchange of expertise and crime combating, among others.
State visit to Mauritius
During President Faure's state visit to Mauritius, the warmth of the relationship between the two neighbouring island nations went up several notches.
President Faure and Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth held a working session to discuss various areas of cooperation of mutual benefit to both countries.
Sharing the same values, way of life, respect of human rights and the desire to preserve the natural beauty of the two islands, Seychelles and Mauritius can make significant contributions internationally if they work together, President Faure said.
Said President Faure: “There are few relationships as strong as the one that exists between our two island nations. While we may be geographically destined to cooperate, there has always been a strong commitment at all levels for our countries to work as partners focused on unlocking their shared potential.”
The highlight of President Faure’s first state visit to Mauritius was the signing of five cooperation agreements by Family Affairs Minister Jeanne Siméon on the Seychelles side and the Minister for Foreign Affairs Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo on the Mauritian side.
The two ministers first signed the agreed minutes of the joint commission meeting before proceeding to sign the agreements on:
- Cooperation in the field of management of operations and staff grading between the two countries’ prison services,
- A twinning agreement between Rodrigues and Victoria,
- An agreement for collaboration between the ANHRD (Agency for National Human Resource Development) and the Mauritius Human Resource Development Council,
- Cooperation in the health sector, and
- Recruitment of teachers and other specialists in the education sector from Mauritius.
It was also agreed that the Seychelles Trading Company will work closely with the Mauritius Trading Company with the objective of procuring essential commodities through bulk purchasing in order to reduce cost and this will benefit our people.
Visits to the United Arab Emirates
Following his second visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in June, President Faure said the UAE has demonstrated its willingness to further support Seychelles in its socioeconomic development for the benefit of the Seychellois people.
As a result of this meeting, the UAE agreed to finance 400 additional units in the housing sector, a new drug rehabilitation centre, and pledged financial support towards one of the country’s upcoming national projects – the Grand Anse Mahé Dam.
In Dubai, President Faure held discussions with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and those centered on trade and commerce between the two countries. He sought the support of His Highness Sheikh Maktoum in the facilitation of talks with the key operators of shipping lines serving the Indian Ocean.
The main objective would be to review high insurance premium charges which is a significant factor in the cost of sea freight. Any lowering of costs in sea freight would generate a reduction in the costs of imports, and consequently a lowering of the cost of living in Seychelles and in the region as well.
President Faure also expressed gratitude for the formidable airline connectivity which has played an important role in the improved tourism arrival numbers and the consequential benefit that has had for the economic and social development of the country.
No peace and decent life without democracy
Addressing world leaders at the United Nations in New York, USA, President Faure said achieving peace and a decent life for everyone cannot be realised without democracy and a concerted demonstration of will.
He said this was the lesson Seychelles was now living, referring to the theme of this year’s 72nd UN General Assembly (UNGA) general debate ‘Focusing on people: striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet’.
President Faure joined more than 100 other heads of states to attend the first ever meeting hosted at the United Nations by Donald Trump, the President of the United States.
“This calls for good governance, transparency and accountability which are the foundation for the prosperity and security of a nation,” he told the annual gathering of heads of state and government from around the world. “Indeed, they put the rights and aspirations of the people at the centre of development where prosperity is shared by all.”
The president added: “We must create the necessary space within society where diverging views and ideas can flourish and be respected. Doing so helps promote unity, tolerance and respect in the population. The cohabitation is working well. There is a new working environment; one in which there is dialogue, and one where we consult. And most importantly, one based on mutual respect.
“We are reshaping government, making it more inclusive and we are empowering our citizens, especially our youth, giving them equal opportunities to play important roles in the development of our country and the growth of our economy. Seychelles was improving the environment for free media to play a vital role in nation-building.
“We are writing a new chapter in Seychelles; where we work together to overcome our challenges and show respect for all opinions in the interest of a Seychelles that unites all of us despite our differences. This openness and policy of discourse are at the core of my nation’s willingness to secure a bold future for our people”.
He explained that small island developing states such as Seychelles were the moral barometers for what is right, noting that “we do not shy from accepting and learning from others’ experiences, but in this regard, we also have valuable lessons to share with others”.
The path Seychelles was charting could serve as an example for all for the sake of tolerance and a globally lasting peace.
For there to be peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet, it was not enough just to throw more resources into implementing the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate change.
“All these processes should be democratically governed, underpinned by transparency and accountability along the way, and in harmony with, and with respect for the natural environment in which we live,” President Faure said.
Compiled by G. G.