Tourism, blue economy, fisheries top the agenda of Oman's ambassador to Seychelles

Ali bin Abdullah bin Salirn Al Mahmqi presented his credentials to President Wavel Ramkalawan at State House on Tuesday. (Seychelles News Agency)

(Seychelles News Agency) - Tourism, the blue economy, and the fisheries sector are areas where the new ambassador-designate of Oman said his country hopes to develop with Seychelles, as he hinted at the potential of Oman Air flying to the island nation.

Ambassador  Ali bin Abdullah bin Salirn Al Mahmqi spoke after presenting his credentials to President Wavel Ramkalawan at State House on Tuesday. Al Mahmqi told journalists that the possibility of Oman Air flying to the islands is also a point for discussion.

"We talked with the president, the opportunity between the Sultanate of Oman and Seychelles, mostly it's the blue economy how we can develop there and fisheries. The relation between Oman and Seychelles, how to develop it more," said Al Mahmqi.

After meeting with the president, the ambassador also paid a courtesy call to Vice President Ahmed Afif. On Monday Ambassador Al Mahmqi met with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Sylvestre Radegonde and other officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Both parties agreed to strengthen cooperation in various fields such as tourism, the blue economy, fisheries and also spoke of the interest to increase connectivity between the two countries through their national airlines.

"We want to see Oman Air come here. In tourism, the Seychelles is very advanced in the tourism sector and we want to see how we can corporate in this sector," said the Ambassador.

According to Al Mahmqi there is also a possibility for sharing between the Tourism College of Oman and the Seychelles Tourism Academy.

In the coming days, the ambassador will have meetings with the Ministry of Fisheries and with the Seychelles Chamber for Commerce and Industries, as Oman also wants to invest in the islands.

"We also would like to invest and see what are the opportunities to invest in Seychelles," he said, adding that he will be also visiting the Indian Ocean Tuna canning factory.

The ambassador will be based in Dar Es Salaam Tanzania.

Seychelles – 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean -- and Oman - a country on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia and the oldest independent state in the Arab world - established bilateral relations in 1983.