08.27.08
Posted in Seychelles government at 1:47 am by Robert Klien
The Mont Fleuri constituency by-election was won by Seychelles’ opposition candidate, Jean-Francois Ferrari, when he was re-elected with more than 86% votes.
According to the official results from the Seychellois election commission, Democratic Party candidate Frank Elizabeth who is also from an opposition party got 12% of votes.
Voters had been urged by the ruling party, Seychelles People’s Progressive Front (SPPF), to boycott the poll. (SPPF) and former President Albert Rene had no candidate for election and called the by-election a farce and a waste of time. Mr Rene had asked voters from Mont Fleuri constituency not to participate at the by-election and rather use the election day for shopping.
Permalink
08.10.08
Posted in International Organisations, International relations, Seychelles government at 5:38 pm by Robert Klien
On July 10, 2008, the 8th Session of the Seychelles-Mauritius Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (SMCBC) ended. As a result, both Governments agreed to support each other and strengthen cooperation in order to boost bilateral relations.
The Seychelles delegation was led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Patrick Pillay, while the Mauritian delegation was represented by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Dr Rama Sithanen.
The two countries have agreed that they will cooperate in the following areas:
- Regional Cooperation. Regarding aid for Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, Seychelles and Mauritius have agreed to facilitate a strategic partnership between the two sides by the networks the countries are building, including the EPA with the EU and membership in both COMESA and SADC;
- COMESA Fund. Mauritius invited Seychelles to join the COMESA Fund in order to build a strategic relationship between the two sides, as well as to benefit from regionalisation and globalisation initiatives underway;
- Regional Multidisciplinary Centre of Excellence. Seychelles requested the support of Mauritius to set up a University in Seychelles;
- Cooperation in the fisheries sector. Seychelles and Mauritius have agreed to urgently examine the impact of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations as well as the bilateral negotiations between the EU and the ASEAN countries.
It is also worth mentioning that Seychelles Minister for Foreign Affairs, Patrick Pillay underscored the fruitful exchange programmes in banking, education, social development, tourism and fisheries between Seychelles and Mauritius.
Permalink
07.22.08
Posted in Seychelles government at 11:02 pm by Robert Klien
A population action plan for the next 4 years for Seychelles to develop in a sustainable way was launched on July 10, 2008.
The population action plan 2008-2012 was launched after a 1-day seminar at the International Conference Centre that was organised by the Social Policy Division in the Ministry of Health and Social Development.
The action plan is focused on the need for people to act responsibly when exercising their right to plan the family. This will give Seychelles an opportunity to keep up its achievements.
It should be noted that launching the plan marks annual World Population Day.
Permalink
07.01.08
Posted in Business and Economy, International relations, Seychelles government at 3:12 pm by Robert Klien
It has been described that Seychelles and Japan signed a grant aid agreement for fisheries on June 24, 2008. The same day, the Japanese ambassador to Seychelles, Shigeo Iwatani, who signed the agreement, paid a visit to President James Michel at State House.
Mr Iwatani discussed with the Seychellois President several issues that will boost the relationship between the Japan and Seychelles.
It is worth noting that President Michel gave feedback on his visit to Japan, which was on May 28-30 when he attended the 4th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (Ticad IV).
Michel and Iwatani also discussed another visit by the President to Japan. Mr Iwatani said that they are arranging a date for the visit. This time the visit will be used for talks on bilateral issues.
The discussion by Michel and Iwatani covered the 5-year action plan to identify concrete cooperation projects between Seychelles and Japan.
Permalink
05.18.08
Posted in International relations, Seychelles government at 5:20 pm by Robert Klien
On May 12, 2008, it was announced that a delegation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Seychelles is going to pay a visit to China. It was also announced that the Seychellois delegation was to be led by deputy speaker Wilby Lucas.
The delegation is paying an official good-will visit to China from May 14 to May 21. The visit was ogranised at the invitation of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China.
Permalink
05.03.08
Posted in Business and Economy, International Organisations, Seychelles government at 8:54 am by Robert Klien
Seychelles has launches a programme that is aimed at training people as regards their human rights and civil liberties.
On April 28, 2008, a 2-week workshop opened at the Police Academy. It is the 1st activities in a series under the human rights project launched to improve the skills of both governmental and non-governmental staff in this area.
The project was launched by Patrick Pillay, Minister for Foreign Affairs. Mr Pillay noted the launch of the project comes in a year when the world is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the theme of which is Dignity and justice for all.
The whole project will last for 2 years. It is co-funded by the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme and based on an agreement signed that was signed by Seychelles in July 2006.
The project is expected to increase awareness of the great importance of human rights issues among the public. It is also hoped to strengthen respecting and adopting human rights practices by police and prison officers, while informing the judiciary, media and civil public on these issues.
Permalink
03.27.08
Posted in Business and Economy, International Organisations, International relations, Seychelles government at 12:22 pm by Robert Klien
The First Meeting of the Special COMESA Ministerial Sub-committee on Economic Partnership Agreement held on February 10, 2008 in Lusaka, Zambia, was attended by the Seychelles Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Patrick Pillay. At the meeting, he was accompanied by his Special Adviser, Miss Vivianne Fock-Tave. Director General for Trade in the Ministry of Finance and Trade, Mr Charles Morin, also attended the meeting of COMESA Ministerial Sub-committee.
The Ministerial Sub-committee was established during the COMESA Council of Ministers in November 2007. It consists of Ministers who are responsible for the negotiation of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) from Seychelles, Mauritius, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia, Djibouti and Zimbabwe – 8 of the 16 countries that form the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) configuration, which are also member countries of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
The Ministerial Sub-committee primarily aims at overseeing the EPA negotiation process in order to ensure the progress in line with set negotiation objectives and agreed guidelines. Therefore the Sub-committee takes account of developments in the process on a regular basis and provides political advice and guidance on any issues contributing to the successful conclusion of the ESA negotiations. It also is worth noting that the Ministerial Sub-committee is a key-role player in working towards narrowing any substantial differences in the region.
At the 1st meeting in Zambia, the Sub-Committee discussed implementing the Interim Agreement and the need to convene a joint COMESA-SADC-EAC (East African Community) Meeting of Ministers responsible for Economic Partnership Agreements. Also, the negotiating structure of the ESA configuration was reviewed at the meeting in order to ensure that the EPA negotiations are both effective and efficient.
Besides the First Meeting of the Special COMESA Ministerial Sub-committee on Economic Partnership Agreement, Minister Pillay participated in the Ministerial Task Force on the COMESA Customs Union held in Lusaka, Zambia, on February 11, 2008.
It is expected that the COMESA Customs Union will be launched in December 2008.
Permalink
03.20.08
Posted in International Organisations, Seychelles government at 1:08 am by Robert Klien
Last month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Seychelles published in a press release named “Assessment of the State of Good Governance in Seychellesâ€.
According to the release, a validation workshop for the draft 2007 Report, “Assessing the State of Good Governance in the Republic of Seychelles” was organized on February 18, 2008 at the International Conference Centre, Victoria. The workshop was aimed at public, private and NGO stakeholders to collectively validate the report and after that it would be submitted to the UNECA.
The workshop concluded Phase II of the UNECA Project “Monitoring and Measuring Progress Towards Good Governance in Africa” launched in Seychelles in April 2007. Phase II included an update of the state of governance of the 27 countries (including South Africa, Mauritius, Egypt, etc.) that took part in Phase I.
The release informed the public that the exercise has been carried out by a Mauritian-based consultancy firm StraConsult with the assistance of local professionals. According to the results of an independent survey conducted by StraConsult, in terms of good governance Seychelles is at the very top in Africa.
It was also emphasized in the press release that “Assessing the State of Good Governance in the Republic of Seychelles” will be a background document to the forthcoming UNECA report – the 2007 African Governance Report.
Permalink
02.24.08
Posted in Foreign investments, International relations, Seychelles government at 11:44 pm by Robert Klien
The visit of Seychellois President James Michel to Kuwait has been discussed previously.
As to the outcomes of the 2-day visit to Kuwait, Michel said that the visit has opened up space for a dynamic cooperation between the 2 countries.
It has been described previously that after a final round of negotiations held in February 2007, Seychelles and Kuwait are expected to sign the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTA). However, according to the Seychellois President, besides the signing of a DTA between the 2 countries, work on a Protection Investment Agreement has started to reinforce the protection that investors seek when investing in a country.
Also, the possibility for Kuwait Airlines to fly to Seychelles was announced by the President. He said that it was discussed and that a bilateral air services agreement should be signed soon in order to allow for this.
There were also discussions on the possibility to make available a line of credit for Seychelles aimed at importing fuel from Kuwait.
According to President Michel, his visit to Kuwait at the invitation of the Amir of the Gulf State, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was an opportunity not only to reinforce personal ties with the leader of Kuwait, but also to reinforce friendly ties between the countries. To remind, a past diverse relationship between Seychelles and Kuwait was interrupted after Kuwait’s invasion by Iraq and the subsequent Gulf War.
The Amir has expressed his desire to strengthen the cooperation and to assist in bringing more investments to Seychelles that would contribute to the economic development of it.
President Michel also mentioned having intense discussions with the Kuwait Investment Authority (talks on the possibility for the Authority to invest in commercial projects in Seychelles), the Kuwait Fund for Development (talks on how it could help in financing infrastructural projects), and the Minister responsible for Oil and Energy (talks on the possibility to make available a line of credit for Seychelles to import fuel from Kuwait).
Permalink
02.12.08
Posted in Business and Economy, Seychelles government at 4:50 am by Robert Klien
Today, on February 12, 2008, Seychellois President James A. Michel will present his 4th State-of-the-Nation address as the President of the jurisdiction.
The President’s address will be presented to the 1st sitting of the National Assembly for the 1st term of 2008, and it will be broadcast live on both the radio and TV. Highlights of the State-of-the-Nation address is expected to be published on the pages of tomorrow’s papers.
To remind, in Seychelles, the State-of-the-Nation address is required by the Constitution and presented at the start of National Assembly sittings for the new year.
After hearing the President’s address at today’s sitting, National Assembly will reconvene on February 15, 2008 to give their views.
Permalink
« Previous entries