Piracy in focus at high-level forum |07 November 2009

The forum at State House was again between President James Michel and the leader of government business in the National Assembly Marie-Louise Potter. The secretary to the cabinet Mohamed Afif was also present.

Commenting on the measures being taken to tackle social ills, including the setting-up of taskforces in the districts, Mr Michel said this is only the beginning of all the work that needs to be done. He said he will ensure the problem is tackled properly.

“Our success in the economic reforms must be matched by our success in tackling these social ills, to ensure a harmonious society,” he said.

On the issue of piracy, Mr Michel said the forum will review the progress Seychelles makes to counter the threat.

Regarding allegations in the foreign press that Seychelles is not doing enough to fight piracy, he said Seychelles has been very proactive. But it is important for the world to know that piracy in the Indian Ocean is not only our problem and our responsibility, he stressed.

Seychelles has been affected, but the problem is an international one with all its repercussions for globalisation, trade routes and for other countries in the region, Mr Michel added.

Therefore it is the responsibility of the international community to see how to tackle the problem at its source.
He noted that Seychelles did not sit back after pirates attacked us but sought international help to reinforce our capacity to defend our territory, patrol our waters and counter the menace – not an easy task considering the vastness of our exclusive economic zone.

Expressing his gratitude to all those in the international community who came to our aid, Mr Michel said this is very important to us as a small nation with limited resources.

He noted that all the support Seychelles is receiving makes our country the ideal spot in the region for international forces to be based so as to detect pirate activity and take the necessary action.

But he reassured our people that even though we need international help, Seychelles will at no point allow any forces and powers to interfere in our affairs. He said our relations with other countries are based on mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.

Mr Michel had words of encouragement for our men and women in uniform who, he said, are at the forefront of the fight against piracy, defending our territory.

He thanked the National Assembly for its support through the joint motion on the issue tabled by the two parties and approved unanimously this week.

Mrs Potter reassured Mr Michel that, as parliamentarians, they will make it their responsibility to add their voices to the government’s diplomatic efforts when they take part in regional and international forums. They will set the record straight for Seychelles on the problem of piracy and make known the national challenges we face in fighting the scourge.

Concerning the Seychellois who was recently taken hostage by pirates, together with other crew of a Spanish fishing boat, Mr Michel said negotiations for their release are being conducted by the owners, and the Seychelles government is providing advice and sharing its experiences through the high-level negotiating team.

Concerning Seychelles’ visibility on the international scene, Mr Michel said as we are living in a globalised world it is important for the international community to know what we are doing.

He said today he is proud and happy to announce that Seychelles has a great deal of international respect and credibility. The success of our economic reforms has turned us into an example, but this did not happen by chance.

There needs to be diplomatic and economic visibility, he added. And this has been built up by adopting a policy of active economic diplomacy to make Seychelles known internationally.

He said Seychelles needs these partnerships and he spoke of benefits ranging from financial and technical help to support for various national and community projects we have recently received.

Regarding climate change and renewable energy, Mr Michel said the forum agreed on the need for Seychelles to continue to make its voice heard and ensure its plight gets the international attention, help and support it deserves.