Seychelles and Switzerland agree to expand bilateral cooperation |12 May 2023
Minister Radegonde welcomes Ambassador Stalder at the Maison Quéau de Quinssy
Foreign Affairs and Tourism Minister Sylvestre Radegonde and Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation Rolf Stalder have agreed to expand relations through various sectoral exchange programmes.
Sectors such as business and education were identified as areas where exchange programmes may be introduced.
This proposition was agreed upon during a meeting between the two diplomats at the Maison Quéau de Quinssy on Monday May 8, 2023 ahead of Ambassador Stalder’s accreditation.
In his intervention, Ambassador Stalder also proposed professional formation such as university formation and 'on-the-job training’ as another area in which Seychelles and Switzerland may further collaborate.
He described Seychelles as a country with good potential to collaborate.
They also discussed issues relating to multilateralism, cooperation between the two countries in international fora, and other international issues of interest to Seychelles and Switzerland, such as security and climate change, among others. Ambassador-designate Stalder explained that if all small countries cooperate “we will be able to enforce our views in these fora on matters that concern us as one state, one voice”.
In turn, Minister Radegonde seized the opportunity to seek Switzerland’s support in the adoption of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI), which will be presented to the United Nations this year.
Minister Radegonde explained that the creation of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) would be a mechanism that would help the country access concessional financing for adaptation, mitigation and resilience and improve the service debt by ensuring debt sustainability.
Other topics discussed were tourism, drug rehabilitation programmes, and current affairs in the regions.
Seychelles and Switzerland established diplomatic relations in 1981.
Press release from the department of foreign affairs
