Symposium sur la Constitution des Seychelles et la réflexion constitutionnelle européenne, le 7 octobre 2008, Parlement européen, Bruxelles,


Un séminaire sur l'avenir de la Constitution des Seychelles a eu lieu le 7 octobre 2008 au Parlement européen à Bruxelles, qui a réuni des représentants de la République des Seychelles, des experts constitutionnalistes européens, des députés membres ainsi que le secrétariat de la commission des affaires constitutionnelles du Parlement européen, et une représentante de la Commission européenne.

L’événement - une initiative de l’Ambassade des Seychelles à Bruxelles - a été organisé dans le cadre d’un exercice national actuellement en cours aux Seychelles, pour évaluer la Constitution des Seychelles vis-à-vis les développements clé survenus depuis son adoption en 1993 sous la 3ème république des Seychelles.

La délégation des Seychelles a été menée par M. Francis MacGregor, le Président de la Cour d’Appel des Seychelles, le président du comité judiciaire pour l’exercice national, et l’ancien ‘Speaker’ de l’Assemblée nationale des Seychelles.

Les points principaux du séminaire :

A titre liminaire, le Président de la commission des affaires constitutionnelles du Parlement européen, M. Joe Leinen, a rappelé que l'Union européenne elle-même était confrontée depuis plusieurs années à des problématiques constitutionnelles, hier avec le Traité constitutionnel, et aujourd'hui avec le Traité de Lisbonne.

M. MacGregor a ensuite brièvement retracé l'histoire de la Constitution et du processus constitutionnel, de la Bible à la démocratie moderne. Puis il a présenté le contexte dans lequel l'exercice national de révision constitutionnelle se déroulait aux Seychelles, et quels étaient les enjeux pour le pays.

Le Professeur Kotzur a quant à lui résumé les dernières évolutions de la pensée constitutionnaliste internationale, et énuméré un certain nombre de perspectives permettant de nourrir le débat concernant la Constitution des Seychelles.

Dans le cadre des débats a notamment été abordée la question du degré de détail nécessaire pour la description des procédures et de la règlementation. Dans la même ligne, la question de la longueur de la Constitution a été soulevée, les intervenants s'accordant sur le fait qu'une Constitution laissait d'autant plus de liberté aux juges chargés de l'interpréter que celle-ci était courte. A cet égard, le fait de rédiger de manière très détaillée le texte pouvait révéler une certaine méfiance vis à vis du juge. Cependant, certains points pouvaient être plus développés que d'autres et l'on pouvait ainsi épouser une "précision à géométrie variable", à l'instar de ce qui avait été fait dans la Constitution américaine.

Par ailleurs, l'opportunité de faire figurer le mode d'élection du Président dans la Constitution a fait l'objet de débats. Il pouvait être utile de ne pas figer le régime dans la Constitution.

Des thèmes tels que l'interprétation des droits de l'homme et la place de la jurisprudence du comité des droits de l'homme des Nations Unies, la liberté d'expression et la transparence, ainsi que les garanties constitutionnelles contre la discrimination ont également été débattus.

Les différentes procédures de réforme constitutionnelle ont été évoquées, ce qui a soulevé la question de savoir qui faisait réellement la Constitution (le législateur, le rapporteur, le peuple). Le déroulement des référendums a fait l'objet de quelques remarques.

Il est apparu à la fin du débat que la Constitution pouvait également représenter un champ au sein duquel pouvait se dérouler les débats politiques. On pouvait insérer des clauses d'ouverture permettant d'intégrer certaines évolutions sans nécessairement réviser l'ensemble de la Constitution.

En conclusion, M. MacGregor s'est dit très satisfait de cette rencontre, qu'il a qualifiée d'expérience riche et utile pour la réflexion en cours aux Seychelles.

Tenue de la 8ème réunion de la commission-mixte Maurice-Seychelles

(Ceci est une reproduction complète d'un article publié sur le site internet Médiaterre - http://www.mediaterre.org/ocean-indien/actu,20080717082321.html )

Portail Ocean Indien, 17/07/08 à 08h23 GMT

La 8ème réunion de la commission mixte Maurice-Seychelles a eu lieu à l'île Maurice du 9 au 10 juillet 2008. Cette rencontre, de niveau ministériel, a vue la participation du Ministre mauricien des Finances et du Développement Économique, M. Rama Sithanen et celui du ministre des Affaires étrangères des Seychelles, M. Patrick Pillay. La commission mixte est tenue dans le cadre de l'accord général, sur la coopération économique, scientifique et technique, signé en 1991 entre les deux pays.

La 8ème session de la commission mixte a permis aux deux parties de passer en revue les progrès accomplis, depuis la dernière rencontre en 2005, dans différents domaines et de dégager de nouveaux axes de coopération et d'harmonisation des positions relevant de la coopération régionale et internationale.

La décision majeure annoncée lors de cette rencontre est la conclusion des discussions sur la délimitation des zones économiques exclusives (ZEE) entre les deux îles avec à la clef la signature d'un accord prévu pour bientôt. A l'issue de cet accord, les deux pays vont soumettre un document conjoint à la Convention des Nations Unies sur le Droit de la Mer (UNCLOS), qui va permettre à chaque pays d'exercer sa souveraineté sur sa zone. Plus spécifiquement, cet accord va permettre de délimiter le Banc de Saya de Malha entre les Seychelles et Maurice. L'accord s'inscrit aussi dans la démarche mauricienne d'assurer son autosuffisance alimentaire à travers les produits de la mer et offre des potentiels de coopération entre les deux pays.

Les autres secteurs de coopération, passés en revue, sont la promotion des petites et moyennes entreprises, la coopération entre les autorités portuaires pour promouvoir le commerce régional, l'exploration de nouvelles opportunités pour l'organisation des croisières, le développement du 'Seafood'. Des nouveaux domaines de coopération identifiés sont le judiciaire, la question de sécurité régionale, les problèmes de la drogue, les secteurs de la poste, de l'éducation et de la jeunesse et des sports.

Au niveau régional, les deux pays ont décidé d'accentuer leur coopération au sein du groupe CMMS (Comores, Madagascar, Maurice et Seychelles) et de la Commission de l'Océan Indien (COI) afin de mieux défendre les intérêts et spécificités des îles de la zone lors des négociations avec l'Union Européenne concernant un Accord de Partenariat Économique (APE) complet. Il y aura une concertation plus étroite dans le cadre de COMESA et la SADC afin de maximiser les opportunités disponibles dans le cadre de l'intégration régionale au sein de ces structures et aussi d'exploiter au maximum les bénéfices proposés par l'Union Européenne dans le cadre du Fonds Européen de Développement et du programme 'Aid for Trade'.
Enfin dans le cadre multilatéral, Maurice et Seychelles se sont convenus de conjuguer leurs efforts pour défendre leurs intérêts sur l'accès du thon au marché Européen et en particulier les conséquences de la réduction de la marge préférentiel de 24% à 7% sur le thon, que les deux pays exportent sur le marché européen. Dans ce contexte, des changements dans les règles d'origines sur le thon exporté vers l'Union Européenne est un sujet de préoccupation pour les deux pays.

Cette 8ème session a été très intense et semble consolider la coopération tant bilatérale que régionale. Souhaitons que cette coopération ira en s'intensifiant et que la coopération culturelle, dont les axes ont déjà été identifiés pour les trois prochaines années, renforcera l'identité indianocéanique par une meilleure connaissance et compréhension entre les deux peuples.

NIP and CSP - Minister of Foreign Affairs’ Dialogue with Parliament

Minister Patrick Pillay, Minister of Foreign Affairs, presented the National Indicative Programme (NIP) and the Country Strategy Paper (CSP) under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) to the National Assembly at its weekly Tuesday sitting of 8th July 2008.

The National Assembly’s International Affairs Committee Chairman, Honorable Waven William, has also informed us that his Committee had had the chance to peruse these documents way back since the beginning of the year.

Whereas the CSP defines the type of cooperation Seychelles, a member state of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group, has with the EU, the NIP defines the types of projects and their timeframe for implementation.

The CSP is drafted through consultations between the EU, represented by the EU Commission Delegation in Mauritius, the Minister of Foreign Affairs as the National Authorizing Officer and national stakeholders. The 2008-2013 CSP drafting process started in 2006 and finished in late 2007 when the document was signed in Lisbon in the margins of the EU-Africa Summit.

Minister Pillay’s dialogue with the National Assembly comes at a time when the 10th EDF has come into force beginning July 2008 now that the requirement for two thirds of ACP countries and all EU Member States to present their instruments of ratification of the revised Cotonou Partnership Agreement, has been met. Seychelles was the second country (after Botswana) that completed the procedures on the ACP side.

Under the CSP, Seychelles is to get a total of €5.9 million from the 10th EDF.

Minister Pillay also informed the National Assembly about EU funding for the water supply master plan. Seychelles is to get funding of €954,000 so it can draw up a master plan to improve and protect its water supplies.
This grant had been approved by the European Union through the African Development Bank. As a first step, a national technical committee to carry out a study on Seychelles’ water supply has already been set up, chaired by Principal Secretary for Environment, Mr. Didier Dogley. Once that has been completed, various environment-related projects aided by the European Development Fund (EDF) can be carried out, including the water plan.

Hon Waven William, MNA for Grand Anse-Mahé, at CTA Brussels Rural Development Briefing on New Players and New Drivers in ACP Rural Development

Photos courtesy of CTA

CTA - The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (ACP-EU) – held its 6th Brussels Briefing on 2nd July 2008 on the theme of “New Players, New Drivers in ACP Rural Development”. Hon Waven William, invited in his capacity as Seychelles Representative to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) and Co-Rapporteur for the JPA’s report on “Effectiveness of Aid and Definition of Public Development Aid”, participated as the Discussant for the third panel of the day.

Some 120 participants, ranging from officials of the European Commission, representatives of Civil Society Organisations and Non-governmental Organisations from Europe and ACP States, to representatives of Permanent Missions of member countries of the European Union and the ACP Group, took an active part in the discussions of the three panels namely (i) “New actors in the global aid system: opportunities and challenges”; (ii) “New donors from the south, new approaches?” and (iii) “Towards coordination, shared responsibility and accountability”.

The 6th Brussels Briefing is part of a series of discussion meetings on key issues and challenges for rural development in the context of EU-ACP cooperation. The 6th Briefing looked at the agricultural and rural development sector in the context of ACP countries, the role of private foundations and the role of “emerging donors” (China, India, Brazil, Japan) in ACP countries. The CTA brought in an interesting array of panellists from the World Bank, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, Concord, the Centre for Chinese Studies at South Africa’s Stellenbosch University, the African Department of the IMF, the European Commission, and the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development, JICA and NEPAD.

The briefing reaffirmed the relevance of the 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and, whilst decrying the decreasing levels of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the agricultural sector, insisted on the need to bring back agriculture to the centre of the development agenda, particularly given the spiralling levels of basic food prices. The meeting also recognized that there was a need to develop new partnerships between multilateral institutions and philanthropic foundations whose aid contributions have been significantly increasing, whereas decreases are observed in aid from traditional donors (particularly bilateral agencies) which remain, nonetheless, the biggest contributors to ODA. Yet, some of the “emerging donors” are not really new. China, for instance, classified as a “modest donor”, has had a long term relationship with Africa acting much more like a “partner” than as a “donor”. Indeed, the 2007 Lisbon Africa-EU Summit did build on this approach when Heads of States and Governments adopted ideas and programmes based on the principle of a true partnership between equals. It was agreed that, still, better quality and quantity of aid, better coordination, transparency and greater accountability (including parliamentary) are required. It is hoped that the awareness raised and the rich information exchanged will feed into the Third High-level Forum (HLF-3) in Accra in early September 2008.

Seychelles celebrates National Day 2008 in Brussels and Luxembourg

All photos, courtesy of Alec Singh.


Seychelles Embassy in Brussels celebrated National Day with a difference this year, first in Brussels and then in Luxembourg.

On the day itself Seychellois nationals and foreign guests from EU institutions and Member States, as well as from Belgium and the ACP Group, met at the B52, a prestigious location in the heart of Brussels. Guests were splashed with an art exhibition which came all the way from Seychelles and Creole food blended in Belgian cuisine under the skilled hands of Christelle Verheyden, Gastronomist and owner of B52.

Emanuel d’Offay, CEO of the National Arts Council (NAC), was personally present to introduce our guests to the Seychellois artists who had with the assistance of NAC, the Embassy of Seychelles in Brussels, ISPC and Mr. Alfred-Alain Foucroy, the main sponsors of the evening, contributed to the forty work pieces that adorned the walls of B52. Thus, under the theme of “Seychelles: The Contemporary Art Environment”, our guests would have another taste of Seychelles other than the idyllic sun, sands, sea and lush vegetation, through the eyes, minds and diverse techniques of Emmanuel himself, Nigel Henry, Egbert Marde, Georges Camille, Alain Ernesta, Jude Ally, Colbert Nourice, Alain Samson and, of course, Christine Chetty.

The main highlight of the event was when Ambassador Barry Faure, presented on behalf of Government, a painting by Nigel Henry to the ACP Group represented by H.E. Ambassador Moussa, President of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors and Sir John Kaputin, the Secretary General.

The second event took place at the Cercle Münster, in prestigious surroundings in the old part of Luxembourg. The event attracted guests from all levels of society from the Court of the Grand-Duke of Luxembourg to Government, the Legislature, the European Parliament and other EU institutions as well as the private sector. No other than the President of the Club, Maitre André Schwachtgen, also Seychelles Honorary Consul in Luxembourg, opened the event. On the eve of the National Day of Luxembourg as well as the anniversary of the Grand Duke, Ambassador Faure invited guests to join him to make a toast to the health of the Grand Duke and to long life to the excellent relations between Luxembourg and Seychelles.

This evening was the first time the National Day had actually been celebrated in Luxembourg and in honour of the event our guests were treated to the best of Cercle Münster’s cuisine, which, like at the B52, dazzled us with their Creole talents. Again, like in Brussels, the work of our artists “Seychelles: The Contemporary Art Environment” was displayed by the National Arts Council.

Ambassador Faure, speaking on behalf of the President at both events, took the opportunity to inform guests that a Symposium to review the Constitution of Seychelles in light of developments in the international context, was planned to take place in the last quarter of the year in Brussels in line with the year’s theme: “Our Constitution; The Voice of our Nation”.

These two events would not have been possible without the collaboration of a number of persons and agencies and our Embassy staff would like to record their appreciation by naming them here:

Brussels:

Our Honorary Consul General in Belgium, Mr. Philippe de Baets, Mr. Alfred-Alain Foucroy and ISPC, Ms. Christelle Verhaygen of B52, Managing Director of ISPC Seychelles, Mr. Xavier Heinen, also Honorary Consul for Belgium in Seychelles, Air Seychelles, Mr. Philos Emond, Mr. Jacques Matombe, and Messrs. Radley Webber and Joe Tirant of Oceana Fisheries.

Luxembourg:

Our Honorary Consul in Luxembourg, Maitre André Schwachtgen, and the Association Amitiés Luxembourg-Seychelles.

Press Release - Signing of the Agreement on the Provisional Application of the Amendments to the Protocol of the FPA between Seychelles and EU

The European Union (EU) and Seychelles have today signed the agreement on the provisional application of the amendments to the Protocol of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA). The signing of this agreement was done in Brussels, Belgium between Ms. Mary Veronica Tovšak Pleterski and Ambassador Barry Faure who, respectively, were representing the European Council and the Government of Seychelles.

The Protocol, which sets out the fishing opportunities (expressed in EU vessel numbers) and the financial contribution (by EU) for the period from 18 January 2005 to 17 January 2011, was amended following negotiations between Seychelles and the EC held from 20th – 21st March 2007 in Brussels. The amended Protocol was initialed by both Parties at the conclusion of the negotiation (on 21st March 2007) and has been in provisional application, pending its entry into force, since 18th January 2008.

The amendments made to the Protocol constitute of increases in the reference tonnage and financial contribution. As a result of the good level of catches, the reference tonnage was increased from 55,000 tonnes to 63,000 tonnes. An increase was made in the annual financial contribution as from 18th June 2008, representing an amount of EUR 5,355,000 compared with EUR 4,125,000 per annum for the first three years of the Protocol’s duration. The increased annual financial contribution of EUR 5,355,000 comprises EUR 4,095,000 equivalent to the new reference tonnage (of 63,000 tonnes per year) and EUR 1,260,000 (per year) for the support and implementation of the Seychelles’ sectoral fisheries policy.

It is to be recalled that the Seychelles-EU FPA was negotiated and concluded in 2004 to replace the previous bilateral fisheries agreement between the two parties, and is the largest tuna fisheries protocol ever signed by the EU with a third country. FPAs are the EU’s new generation of bilateral fisheries agreements. According to the EU, the main objective of introducing the FPAs to replace its previous bilateral fisheries agreements was to provide for improved economic, financial, technical and scientific cooperation in the fisheries sector with a view to conserving and achieving sustainable exploitation of the resources.

In this connection, the Government of Seychelles intends to carry out a comprehensive review of all the fisheries agreements it has concluded thus far with a view to ensuring that Seychelles obtains maximum yields from its fishery resources while undertaking the necessary measures for sustainable exploitation of these resources.

87th Session of the ACP Council of Ministers adopts Resolution on Fisheries

The ACP Council of Ministers adopted a resolution on fisheries during its 87th session, which was taking place recently in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 8th – 11th June 2008.

Among other things, the Resolution which was introduced to the Council by Seychelles, calls for a first meeting of the ACP ministers responsible for fisheries to be convened not later than in the first quarter of the year 2009, with the primary objective of establishing a ministerial mechanism for ACP coordination and cooperation on fisheries issues.

The proposal for the establishment of such an ACP ministerial mechanism was initiated by Seychelles following an ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) fact-finding mission to the country in April 2008. (An article on the said JPA fact-finding mission was posted on this blog on 5th June 2008.)

The ACP Press Statement on the subject is reproduced below (this can also be accessed from the ACP official website - to go to it click here)

ACP PRESS STATEMENT 5 - ACP adopts resolution on establishing a Ministerial Mechanism for fisheries

June 11 2008

The African, Caribbean and Pacific 87th Council of Ministers adopted a resolution today (June 11), which calls for responsible fishing, and implementation of effective management, conversation and control practices in ACP States as well as the establishment of a Ministerial Mechanism for fisheries, no later than the first quarter of 2009.

The resolution, which was tabled by Seychelles, had the backing of the ACP Group, especially those who have stake in fisheries.
Delivering the resolution on behalf of his minister, Seychelles’ Ambassador to Brussels, His Excellency Mr. Barry Faure, said: “The resolution comes at an opportune time when we have reached a critical point in our paths for sustained social development and economic growth.”

He said it is a known factor that the fisheries sector, whether wild or marine and inland fisheries, plays a significant role in the economic and social development of major – not only coastal and island ACP countries, but also landlocked.
Mr Faure noted that fisheries sector contributes considerably to the social-economic development of the concerned ACP countries by providing food security and cheap source of protein.

“This sector constitutes a prominent economic pillar for many of these countries, which is attested by its important contribution to total income, foreign exchange earnings and employment,” Mr Faure said.
The Ambassador went on to say that for some small island countries like Seychelles, fish resources are their only natural resources and can be exploited economically in a significant manner.

However, he said, the rate of renewability is greatly influenced by human actions.
“This very fact requires us to be positive in our actions towards how we exploit our valuable fishery resources if we intend to reach an optimal outcome; an outcome where the yields spread over a long term horizon,” he said.
And he cautions that the reality is that fisheries is unattainable if “we fail to engage in, promote and require for responsible fishing, and implement effective management, conservation and control practices.”

ACP Ministers and senior officials who spoke on the motion had given their backing to the resolution.
Seychelles has also offered to host the first meeting of ACP ministers in charge of fisheries.

Details contact:
Robert Iroga
Attaché de Presse
African, Caribbean and Pacific Secretariat
451 Avenue Georges Henri
1200 Brussels
Tel: +32 2 743 0617
GSM: + 25 (0) 912 2008 08 (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)
Fax : +32 2 735 55 73
Email: iroga@acp.int

JPA Fact-finding Mission on the Tuna Industry in the ACP

All photos, courtesy of the Seycheels Fishing Auhtority.

Between April 25 and 27 2008, the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) fielded a high-level parliamentary delegation to Seychelles to undertake a fact-finding mission there with the participation of fisheries experts from Kenya and Mauritius.

Mrs. Glenys Kinnock, MEP (UK Labour/Socialsit Group) and Wilkie Rasmussen (Foreign Minster, Cook Islands), Co-Presidents of the JPA, leading the delegation, spoke to the local press in Seychelles about the outcome of their visit to Seychelles.

One of the main outcomes, they said, was that there was a need for a mechanism for coordination on fisheries matters at the level of the ACP group as they had found that there was much room for improvement in the way the ACP countries were handling their relations with the EU on various questions from the Fisheries Partnership Agreements to Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards, Ilegal, Unregulated and Unreported Fishing and the Rules of Origin, amongst others.

The challenge, thus, is for the ACP to move towards institutionalizing a mechanism for fisheries at the forthcoming ACP Council due to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, between 9th and 11th June 2008. The good news is that the matter already features as an item on the agenda for that meeting and a draft resolution has been prepared for consideration of Council.

Small Island States & Global Climate Change and other environmental issues - Interview by Dr. Rolph Payet, Special Adviser to the President

JPA Report on "Effectiveness of Aid and Definition of Public Development Aid"

Honourables Waven William (Seychelles) and Anne Van Lancker (Member of the European Parliament), Co-Rapporteurs for the ACP and the EU, respectively, presented their preliminary Working Document on "Effectiveness of Aid and Definition of Public Development Aid" to the Committee on Economic Development, Finance and Trade, meeting on Saturday 15th March 2008 during the 15th Session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) in Ljubljana (Slovenia).

A key point made in the Working Document, which is of direct relevance to countries like Seychelles, is the case of the Small Island Developing States and the Middle Income Countries, whose specific concerns are not properly addressed in international development strategies. The Report calls for the EU to join hands with the ACP to influence change in the international community's attitude towards these countries.

The Report is largely based on the panel discussions of the Committee at its January 2008 Brussels inter-sessional meeting. It draws attention to the Paris Declaration of 2005 and the Third High Level Forum (HLF3) on Aid Effectiveness, scheduled to take place in Accra (Ghana), 2-4 September 2008. The primary intention of the HLF 3 is to take stock and review the progress made in implementing the Paris Declaration with a view to broaden and deepen the dialogue on aid effectiveness by giving space and voice to partner countries and newer actors (such as Civil Society Organsations and emerging donors). It is widely expected to identify the action needed and hurdles to overcome in order to make progress in improving aid effectiveness for 2010 and beyond. The Co-Rapporteurs are hoping that their Working Document can feed into HLF3, and called for the JPA to approve their request for their participation in the Accra meeting.

Members of the Committee congratulated the Co-Rapporteurs for the draft working document and suggested many ideas for the Raporteurs to consider in drafting the Resolution, which will be tabled for further discussions in the Committee's next meeting in Brussels, September 2008. The final Report is expected to be adopted in Papua New Guinea, November 2008, at the JPA's 16th Session.

Direct from Ljubljana.

ACP Secretariat Announces New Job Vacancies

Seychellois citizens qualify to apply for the new job vacancies at the ACP Secretariat.

The announcement of the vacant positions was posted on the ACP Secretariat's website (http://www.acp.int/) on 13th March 2008. It is to be noted that selections are made on the basis of qualifications. Suitable Seychellois applicants would stand an excellent chance as no Seychelles national has yet been employed by the ACP Secretariat, which is based in Brussels, Belgium.

As per the announcement, applications for these posts must reach the ACP Secretariat no later than 12 May 2008 and must be accompanied by a complete curriculum vitae, certified copies of diplomas, certificates and any other document testifying to the competence and professional experience of the candidates.

Indian Ocean Countries Signal Closer Ties

The Courier Magazine (www.acp-eucourier.info), a magazine of the Africa, Caribbean, Pacific and EU Co-operation and Relations, has carried an article on the recent Colloquium of the Indian Ocean Commission which took place in Seychelles between 4th and 6th March 2008. Below we carry the full story courtesy of The Courier Magazine.

"Indian Ocean countries signal closer ties

05/03/2008 - Debra Percival

Meeting to look at IOC shipping links © M Percival

Closer links between Indian Ocean countries have been signalled by a high level meeting in the Seychelles, March 4-6.

A colloquium “Globalisation and regional integration: the future of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC)”, is looking at how opening of world makets harbours both challenges and opportunities for the region. It is organised by President of Seychelles, James Michel who is current IOC President.

Founded in 1984, the IOC includes ACP nations Comoros, Mauritius, Madagascar and the Seychelles and French islands of Reunion and Mayotte.

Experts, donors, regional and international bodies and the private sector are studying how to make regional ties stronger among IOC, in particular shipping and airlinks.

“Developing our shipping and air links between the countries of the sub-region and beyond is of fundamental importance to us, as without this basic infrastructure and networks, the objective of deepening regional integration will remain elusive,” Barry Faure, Ambassador of Seychelles in Brussels told ‘the Courier.’

He added: “For the moment our sub-region only has a few airlines serving regular schedules but these are rare and flying from one island to the other can take days in certain cases.Also, global developments are happening that affect the development and viability of the airlines in the region, which depend primarily on tourism traffic from Europe as their revenue mainstay.”

Shipping is in the same boat: “Whilst there is regular traffic, mostly by foreign operated vessels, some of the ports of the region (unlike Seychelles) suffer from a lack of capacity where congestion is quite severe, and costs can be much higher to certain destinations (like to Seychelles) because certain shipping lines monopolise the traffic,” said Ambassador Faure.

This week’s event is ahead of a meeting of IOC Council of Ministers March 27-28, which is expected to take on board recommendations made.

The EU has recently concluded “goods only” European Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the four ACP states in the IOC. Negotiations with the EU are expected to continue in 2008 to conclude fully-fledged EPAs to broaden trade cooperation.

The EPA negotiations, explained Ambassador Faure, had heightened interest in the role and status of the IOC in building regional and trade cooperation in the East and Southern Africa sub-region which had, “hitherto been on the back-burner.”

When it became clear in October 2007 that the East and Southern Africa region would not be able to conclude an EPA with the EC by the end of 2007, President Michel called for a extraordinary meeting in the Seychelles of all four ACP Member States of the IOC with France Reunion as an observer to form a sub-group in the ESA region to to defend the interests of the island states and avoid trade disruption with the non-Least developed Countries (LDCs) in the IOC, Mauritius and Seychelles. This led the way to the initialling of the “goods only” interim agreements with the IOC four.

Ambassador Faure said there was also increased scope for the IOC four to step up cooperation with the French island of Reunion. Reunion already has cooperation agreements with individual IOC states in the fields of tourism, fisheries, the environment, land use management, education and martime surveillance and control."

Seychelles attends CTA Brussels Briefings on "The Climate Challenge for ACP Agriculture"

On February 13th, 2008, Ambassador Faure attended the CTA Brussels Briefing on "The Climate Challenge for ACP Agriculture". The objective of the briefing was to raise awareness of ACP policy-makers on the impacts of climate change on their agricultural sector and to discuss the various policy responses to adapt or mitigate them.

Ambassador Faure in an interview with Euforic TV, gave his impressions of the workshop and the importance of agriculture to Seychelles, as well as the challenges posed by climate change. He also stressed on the importance Government attaches to environment as it is embedded in the Constitution.

The full video of the interview, courtesy of Euforic TV, can be viewed below and has also been published in Brussels Briefings (see right hand column).

Click To Play

The Seychelles Embassy in Brussels Launches Blog

The Seychelles Embassy in Brussels has launched today its own blog following the Embassy´s participation in the "Web2.0 Policy-Makers' Awareness Raising and Capacity Building Initiative Workshop", organised by the CTA in collaboration with the ACP Secretariat.

Photo: courtesy of Alec Singh, ACP Secretariat

Some 30 participants from ACP embassies in Brussels, including Seychelles, were sensitized on the different available web applications and tools that can be used by them to become better performing and cost-effective.

The Seychelles Embassy was represented by Ambssador Barry Faure and Miss Audrey Dine, the newly-appointed Counsellor (see photo on the left). Below are their reaction to the workshop.

Ambassador's views:

"I feel extremely happy that the CTA and the ACP Secretariat have joined hands to, for the first time since I have been posted here (18 months), something that will go a long way towards improving the efficiency of our Missions."

Counsellor's views:

"It was a very productive workshop, which broadened the knowledge of participants in web applications and tools that can be used by the embassies and their headquarters for making the sharing of information, as well as collaborative work, much easier."

The Seychelles Embassy's blog will be used as a communication tool for the Government and the Embassy's activities in Brussels.