$ 1.2 million from COMESA for Seychelles regional integration programmes

(Seychelles News Agency) - Seychelles is set to receive financial assistance worth some $ 1.2 million from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to support several programmes, according to a press statement issued by the Seychelles Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The financing will target mainly trade promotion, food security initiatives, science and technology programmes, mainstreaming gender and other social affairs amongst others.

According to the MFA statement, this follows the signing by Seychelles Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jean Paul Adam of an addendum to a grant agreement signed between Seychelles and COMESA in May 2013.

The agreement refers to the regional integration implementation under the COMESA Adjustment Facility with support from the Regional Integration Support Mechanism, which is funded by the European Union.

In its statement, MFA says the implementation and monitoring of regional programmes under the Regional Integration Support Mechanism, is managed by a National Inter–Ministerial Coordinating Committee for Regional Integration.

Seychelles Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean Paul Adam chairs the committee which comprises of representatives of the government, the Seychelles Central Bank, the private sector and civil society.

Addressing the allocation COMESA will be making available to Seychelles, the MFA says this comes after the country has been able to achieve set indicators in relation to the implementation of its regional integration commitments.

“One such indicator is to ensure that there is a proper coordinating Committee and a Secretariat dealing with Regional Integration matters” adds the statement.