Mancham promotes Seychelles tourism in Baku |18 March 2014

“Citizens of Azerbaijan interested to run away from the winter cold and discover a great resort destination, citizens of Azerbaijan interested to visit a small but determined Nation committed to remain on the move, should make it a point to visit the Seychelles.”

These were the concluding words of Seychelles founding President James R. Mancham as he addressed members of the Youth Club of Azerbaijan Ruling Party – The New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) –on the theme ‘The World Today and Tomorrow’ at the headquarters of the Party in the capital city of Baku.

The former President had arrived in Baku a day before for a three-day visit as guest of The New Azerbaijan Party. He was met on arrival at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport by Professor the Honourable, Asaf Hajiyev MP, head of the International Affairs Department of the NAP, who accompanied him to the Hilton Baku Hotel overlooking the Caspian Sea.

That evening (Thursday March 13), Mr Mancham was honoured by a dinner at Villa Petrolia in the white city of Baku by Dr Togrul A. Bagirov of the Baku Nobel Heritage Fund which has recently built the first Nobel Brothers Home Museum, outside Sweden and which itself is annexed to the elite Baku Nobel Oil Club. It is to be noted that Alfred Nobel – inventor of the “Dynamite” and who subsequently founded the Nobel Peace Prize– was with his brother, Immanuel, the pioneers of the modern oil and petrol industry, which began in nowhere else but Azerbaijan.

In a welcoming speech, Dr Barigov, who is a UN expert on global energy and President of the Club, nominated Mr Mancham as an honorary member of the Club.

On Friday March 14, Mr Mancham in his capacity as a recognised global statesman, had long discussions concerning Azerbaijan’s experience as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and other world affairs of current interest with Mr Ali Ahmadov, deputy Prime Minister, vice-chairman and executive secretary of the NAP, who was assisted by the Honourable Mubariz Gurbanli MP, the Honourable Sirius Novruzov MP – both of whom are deputy executive secretary of the NAP, as well as with the Honourable Asaf Hajiyev MP, head of the International Affairs Division of the Party.

On Saturday March 15, the former President paid a courtesy call on the Honourable Ogtay Asadov, Speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan at his office in Azerbaijan’s Parliament. The two leaders focused their discussions on the deteriorating political development in the region and jointly expressed their common sentiment and hope that the world does not move into another “Cold War” situation.

This was the point Mr Mancham elaborated upon in a press conference at the NAP headquarters which was covered by Baku’s seven TV channels, as well as local press and the international media network.

Mr Mancham declared that the hour called for statesmanship of the highest calibre because, in his view, there is no more victory in military confrontation which he said could destabilise not only the region but the whole world.

It is to be noted that this is Mr Mancham’s second visit to Baku. He was there last year as a vice-president of the Centrist Asia Pacific Democrats International (Capdi) as part of a delegation invited to monitor the presidential election which saw President Ilham Aliyev re-elected for another five years. Subsequently, Mr Mancham’s magazine ‘The Voice of the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea’ (VIOAS), proclaimed President Aliyev as ‘Man of Year 2013’.

“Ilham Aliyev first became President of Azerbaijan in October 2003. After a career as a scholar and historian, businessman and oil executive, his sudden rise to power caught many by surprise. Today Azerbaijan is on the crest of an economic wave despite the global recession. Under President Ilham Aliyev’s leadership, the Nation is building a robust civil society, democracy has taken roots, poverty levels have dropped dramatically and the Nation is winning international recognition and acclaim for transparency and good governance,” Mr Mancham said in a statement on Sunday evening (March 16) before leaving Baku for London.
The former President is expected back in Seychelles tomorrow.