06.17.10
Posted in Diplomatic missions, International relations, Seychelles government, Tourism industry at 6:48 pm by Robert Klien
On May 15, during a reception held at the Coral Strand Hotel, ambassador of Russia Mikhail Kalinin said that Russian investment in Seychelles is growing rapidly. The reception was held to mark Russia’s National Day.
Mr Kalinin said that Russian investment in Seychelles’ tourism industry now tops USD 250 million. He also added that the government of Russia has approved 2 more hotels to be built by Russian investment companies. He also said that Russian businessmen are investing in the preservation of Seychellois sites of environmental, cultural and historical value.
Mr Kalinin said that there are much more opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation and they are to be explored. He called on Seychellois businessmen to establish direct links with their Russian counterparts who might offer many interesting projects important for the Seychellois economy.
According to the ambassador, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and President James Michel regularly communicate and exchange messages on different issues, and Russia and Seychelles hold identical or similar positions on the major international matters.
Mikhail Kalinin said that Seychelles is becoming more and more popular among Russian tourists. Visitors from Russia now hold 4th place among tourists in Seychelles with more than 8 500 arrivals in 2009.
Kalinin welcomed the graduates of the Soviet/Russian institutes present at the ceremony. One of them was Minister for Community Development, Youth, Sports and Culture Vincent Meriton, who read President James Michel’s message. The message said: “Seychelles and the Russian Federation have a long history of cooperation and I would like, on behalf of the government of Seychelles, to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for all the forms of help provided, particularly in the fields of education, sports, culture and health. We hope that we will be able to benefit from similar offers in the future,” said Mr Michel in his message.
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06.01.10
Posted in Diplomatic missions, Seychelles government at 1:00 pm by Robert Klien
The President of Seychelles, James Michel, is planning to undertake a 3-day visit of India from June 1 to June 3, 2010. This will be his 2nd visit to India, the 1st one was in 2005.
The official spokesman of India’s government, Vishnu Prakash, said that as a preparatory to the visit, a number of new initiatives were being considered, which included a school library project, supply of buses, human resource development, technology development centre in Seychelles for small and medium enterprises. According to him, India has been cooperating closely with Seychelles, assisting them in training, including that of diplomats.
Prakash said: “Close to 10% of the population in Seychelles is of Indian origin. Their currency is called Seychelles Rupee. We are also exploring now possibilities to enhance our synergies. A business delegation from Seychelles is accompanying the President to precisely do so”.
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11.25.09
Posted in Diplomatic missions, International relations at 3:19 pm by Robert Klien
A team from the African Development Bank (AfDB) has recently ended a 2-day visit to Seychelles. The visit was aimed at discussing new bonds to be issued.
Advance talks have been held by the mission with the authorities. The talks regarded request for a partial guarantee to be attached to the new bonds. These will result from Seychelles’ forthcoming external debt exchange offer. As part of this offer, holders of eligible claims will be invited to tender their instruments for new bonds – these are holders who will include the 9.125% Eurobond due in 2011.
The AfDB is expected to complete its review of the partial guarantee proposal in the next few weeks. The government intends to launch the exchange offer shortly.
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11.13.09
Posted in Diplomatic missions, International relations at 11:41 am by Robert Klien
At the end of October, Chinese Minister for Culture Cai Wu was on a 3-day official visit to Seychelles. During this visit, he held talks with President James Michel and Minister Vincent Meriton.
Mr Cai was leading a delegation at the invitation of his Seychellois counterpart Mr Meriton. This visit formed part of the Chinese Culture in Focus 2009 programme from April until the end of October. The programme was aimed to promote cultural exchanges between China and African countries.
The Chinese team had a chance to discuss and share views on further improving cultural exchanges and cooperation with their Seychellois counterparts.
It should be mentioned that diplomatic relations between Seychelles and China were opened many years ago, and since that cultural ties have been substantially developing. In 1983, the 2 countries signed an agreement of cultural cooperation. Mr Cai noted that recent visits by President James Michel to China and President Hu Jintao to Seychelles have further strengthened bilateral relations between the countries and boosted cultural cooperation.
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09.17.09
Posted in Diplomatic missions, International relations at 7:01 pm by Robert Klien
On September 11, 2009, the 10th meeting of the Governors’ Consultative Committee (GCC) of the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) board of governors was held in Tunis. Seychelles was represented at this meeting.
The committee was meeting with a view to consider proposals by the AfDB’s management for the 6th General Capital Increase (GCI).
It is worth noting that the AfDB board recently approved several fast crisis mechanisms. But this has led to a quicker consumption of the resources of the bank as well as accelerated demand for extra funding. Therefore, the bank started negotiating a 6th GCI much earlier than planned.
At the meeting, Seychelles was represented by Central Bank governor and AfDB alternate governor for Seychelles Pierre Laporte and executive director for Seychelles at the AfDB Peter Sinon.
The member countries of the GCC are as follows: Seychelles, Switzerland, the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Congo, Egypt, France, Libya, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, and Zimbabwe.
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02.19.09
Posted in Business and Economy, Diplomatic missions, International relations, Seychelles offshore jurisdiction at 12:38 pm by Robert Klien
On February 10, 2009, relations between Seychelles and Russia were described as being “at their best” since diplomatic ties between the two countries were established.
This comment was made by outgoing Russian ambassador to Seychelles Alexander Vladimirov after he had paid a final visit to President James Michel and Vice-President Joseph Belmont at State House. He called Seychelles a friend and noted that during its time of hardships the offshore jurisdiction can still rely on Russia for support.
Alexander Vladimirov spent in Seychelles 4 years. He said that during this time, he saw remarkable developments between Seychelles and Russia. He noted that more Russian businessmen have been investing in Seychelles, more Russian tourists have been coming to Seychelles, direct flights from Moscow to Mahe have begun, and more education exchanges have taken place.
At a farewell reception held in his honour at the Coral Strand Hotel, Vladimirov said that his time in Seychelles was a very pleasant chapter in his diplomatic career.
At the reception, Minister for Foreign Affairs Patrick Pillay recalled the great enthusiasm of Ambassador Vladimirov when approaching his posting in Seychelles 4 years ago.
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11.12.08
Posted in Business and Economy, Diplomatic missions, International relations at 2:58 am by Robert Klien
The chairman of the Chinese National People’s Congress (NPC) standing committee, Wu Bangguo, is planning to officially visit Seychelles at the invitation of Seychelles’ President James Michel and National Assembly speaker Patrick Herminie. The visit will be held from November 12 to November 14.
Wu Bangguo will lead a large delegation that will include vice-chairman and current secretary-general of the NPC standing committee, Li Jianguo, as wel as other high-level officials.
This visit is a sign of the continuing high level of friendship and respect between Seychelles and China.
During the visit, Wu Bangguo will meet with President Michel and Seychelles and China will further strengthen their relationships by means of signing an agreement on economic and technical cooperation.
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05.24.08
Posted in Diplomatic missions, International relations at 7:35 pm by Robert Klien
New Ambassador of China to Seychelles Wang Weiguo arrived in Seychelles on May 16, 2008.
On May 20, New Ambassador to Seychelles Wang Weiguo presented his credentials to Seychelles President James Alex Michel in Victoria.
Michel welcomed Wang as new ambassador to Seychelles and expressed his satisfaction with the recent development of relations between Seychelles and China that are based on mutual trust and equality. The President thanked China for the assistance and the efforts made by its leaders to promote economic cooperation between Seychelles and China. He also said he awaits that the mutually beneficial cooperation will be developed in the future.
The New Ambassador recalled the development of bilateral relationship in the past years since diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in June 1976. He also said he would do his best to push the relationship between Seychelles and China towards win-win partnership.
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11.12.07
Posted in Diplomatic missions, International relations at 11:16 pm by Robert Klien
Seychelles President James Michel expressed his delight that the development of bilateral relations with Bulgaria was successful at a meeting with Bulgarian Honorary Consul to Bulgaria Maxim Behar in the capital Victoria.
After the meeting, Honorary Consul Maxim Behar said that it is an honour for him to work for enhancing relations between Bulgaria and Seychelles as well as to represent Seychelles in Bulgaria.
The two parties agreed that the process of bringing Bulgaria and Seychelles closer was significantly boosted after Seychelles opened a consulate in Bulgaria and appointed Honorary Consul in 2004. A Bulgarian delegation visited the jurisdiction in October 2006.
Maxim Behar was appointed Honorary Consul of the Republic of Seychelles to Bulgaria in July 2004.
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10.23.07
Posted in Diplomatic missions, International relations at 7:38 am by Robert Klien
On September 19, 2007, the official opening ceremony of the Embassy of the Republic of Seychelles was held in Beijing, People’s Republic of China.
The opening was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Seychelles in the beginning of September.
The opening of the Embassy was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Seychelles, Mr. Patrick Pillay, high government officials as well as business people from China.
It should be noted that Ambassador of Seychelles to the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Philippe LeGall, presented his credentials to President of the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Mr. Hu Jintao, on May 11, 2007.
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