Portugal pledges Euro 150,000 tsunami aid |19 January 2005

H.E. Mr Julio Francisco De Sales Mascarenhas made this pledge when speaking to the Tuesday January 18 at State House after he had presented his credentials to President James Michel and met with Vice-President Joseph Belmont.

Mr Mascarenhas said before he leaves Seychelles on Thursday January 20 he would be visiting areas on Mahe were there had been damage caused by the tsunamis.

He described diplomatic relations between Portugal and Seychelles as excellent, but said it was high time for the two countries to strengthen their economic ties and explore new areas of cooperation.

He cited investment, tourism, environment and fishing as possible areas of cooperation.

Both Portugal and Seychelles, he said, could learn a lot from each other as they shared a lot of similarities with regard to their environment.

"Seychelles has the potential to attract fishing fleets from Portugal and investments can also be made in the fish processing industry here," Mr Mascarenhas told the press.

Mr Mascarenhas, who will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, is the fifth Portuguese ambassador to be accredited to Seychelles. He replaces Mr José Manuel de Carvalho Lameiras who served as ambassador from 2000 to 2004.

Seychelles and Portugal established diplomatic relations in August 1976.