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Archive - Archive 2004 - July 2013

Mancham hails Seychelles-UAE ties |27 November 2012

Mancham hails Seychelles-UAE ties

Mr Mancham

Mr Mancham said that the relationship prevailing between the Republic of Seychelles and the UAE is on a very sound and promising footing.

He said that if Seychelles had the need for a Big Brother in today's turbulent Global Village, it could not have found a better one than the UAE under the “benevolent and enlightened leadership” of its President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

In this connection, he congratulated President James Michel for recognising the importance of friendly and collaborative ties between the Republic of Seychelles and the UAE.

Mr Mancham said that Seychelles is to the UAE what Hawaii is to California and stressed the important role which Etihad is playing alongside Air Seychelles to enable us to capitalise on our tourism potential.

Mr Mancham was in the UAE capital taking part in the 6th annual meeting of the World Future Council.

Addressing delegates, the UAE’s Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan said: "Peace, the Environment, Health and Education are priorities for Abu Dhabi and the World."

"For millennia, the world's people have been engaged in conflicts and too often in wars," said the minister.

"Those conditions have recently become more fearful because of the high sense of insecurity among so many people of the world's citizens. As you focus on the future, I hope that you will discuss ways to bring to all the world's citizens a better understanding and an appreciation of the differences among the world's cultures, religions and governments," he said.

"An understanding and appreciation that might lead us all away from confrontations and armed conflicts and into a brave new world of good creatures who enjoy peace and prosperity," he added.

Mr Macham was a pioneer member of the World Future Council when it was founded in Geneva, Switzerland in 2007 to develop policies on climate change and energy, urban development, sustainable economies, peace and disarmament.

Founder Jacob Von Uexkull said the council is hoping to establish a permanent presence in the Arabian Gulf region.

"Like the rest of the world the UAE is looking for new ways of living and producing in order to minimise its ecological footprint and avoid climate chaos,” he said.

On Friday Mr Von Uexkull, Mr Mancham, Olivier Giscard d’Estaing (founder of  INSEAD), Julia Marton-Lefevre (DG of the International Union for the conservation of nature) and Dipal Barua (co-founder of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, which works to alleviate poverty by providing micro loans to poor people) joined the UAE minister for a gala lunch at his palace.

Mr Mancham leaves Abu Dhabi today for Atlanta, Georgia where he will take part in the Global Peace Convention.

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