Relations between Canada and Seychelles extremely good - outgoing HC |18 June 2007
Mr McAlister, whose two-year term in office has come to an end, said that Canada and Seychelles has a long history of friendship and lots of contact especially through the Francophonie and the Commonwealth and all the various exchanges that exist between the two countries.
It is to be noted that there is an important Seychellois community who lives and works in Canada and a lot of Seychellois students have over the years gone on scholarships in that country.
Mr McAlister said his meeting with Vice-President Belmont yesterday was to discuss various aspects of this relation and look at how to further strengthen it.
Being the tenth high commissioner to occupy the post Mr McAlister said that relations between the two countries, though far apart geographically, is good to the extent that “we can frankly discuss any issues be it investments, fisheries, environment etc…”.
In relations to the issue of environment, Mr McAlister has commended Seychelles for its environment protection efforts.
“I am very impressed by the effort to protect the environment here and the fact that you have set aside very large areas of the country as natural reserves is very commendable,” Mr McAlister said.
Mr McAlister, who will be in the country to attend activities marking the 14th Anniversary of our National Day, said that the highlight of his two years in office was having been able to quickly mobilize resources through the United Nations to come to the assistance of Seychelles after the tsunami struck in 2004.
He said that during the time he will be in the country he will attend the re-opening of the reconstructed highway bridge which has benefited through such assistance through the U.N.
Canada and Seychelles established diplomatic relations soon after the islands’ independence in 1976.
Mr McAlister is based in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.