Seychelles’ challenge: Develop and preserve environment, President tells World Economic Forum

Faure met with Klaus Schwab in the margins of the World Economic Forum in Cape Town, South Africa. (State House)

(Seychelles News Agency) - The challenge for Seychelles today remains sustainable development mechanisms to continue to grow while preserving the environment, President Danny Faure said in a meeting with the founder of the World Economic Forum.

Faure met with Klaus Schwab who is also the executive chairperson of the Forum on Wednesday, State House said, in the margins of the World Economic Forum in Cape Town, South Africa.

During the meeting, Faure highlighted the economic and developmental challenges of Seychelles in spite of having attained marked economic and human development successes and being the first on the continent for these developmental milestones.

On his part, Schwab commended Seychelles for taking the right approach in environment protection and for being a leader in sustainable development, and that much can be learnt and shared from the Seychelles experience.

“Greater collaboration between Seychelles and the diverse platforms offered by the WEF is important in advancing the country’s domestic and foreign policy agenda but more importantly by engaging in collaborative efforts to tackle modern-day challenges which impede growth, development and progress,” added Schwab.

Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, has designated 26 percent of its territorial waters as marine protection areas as of June this year. The protected area is now 350,915 square kilometres of the island nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 1.4 million square kilometres.

Already, half of the island nation’s land territory is protected under law as nature reserves.

Discussions also focused on the employment of modern technology to tackle challenges such as plastic waste management and the proper mapping of the Seychelles’ ocean space. This will help in the development of a sound management framework for the vast EEZ and ocean space which Seychelles shares with its neighbours.

Faure is expected to address forums on Africa's climate change challenge, regional integration and travel and tourism. He is also expected to make an address on the challenges of development in the era of climate change and hold bilateral engagements with private entities, non-governmental organisations and development partners.

The World Economic Forum is a non-profit organisation which creates diverse platforms for discussions and engagements with global shapers such as political and business leaders.