Maldives looking at possibility of direct flight to Seychelles, new high commissioner says

Razzak said discussion with President Ramkalawan was also on other areas of cooperation between Maldives and Seychelles. (Seychelles Nation)

(Seychelles News Agency) - The Maldives is looking into the possibility of having a direct flight with Seychelles as well as further cooperation in the areas of fisheries, education and youth, said the newly accredited high commissioner.

Omar Abdul Razzak presented his credentials to President Wavel Ramkalawan on Tuesday at State House.

Razzak told reporters that he hopes that "there will be a direct flight between Seychelles and the Maldives so that there will be more people-to-people contact between the two countries."

The new high commissioner met with the Minister of Fisheries, Jean-Francois Ferrari, and the two agreed that Seychelles and Maldives should strengthen strategic objectives and partnerships in the tuna fishing industry as members of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC).

Ferrari and the new high commissioner also discussed the possibility of establishing a maritime security surveillance Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to address protecting marine resources and to share maritime security data between Maldives and Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean.

Also at State House on Tuesday, two newly approved Seychellois ambassador received their assignments.

The appointments of Principal Secretary for tourism, Anne Lafortune, and Ian Madeleine, director of regional affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as ambassadors were approved by the National Assembly last week.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Lafortune will be heading the Seychelles Embassy in Beijing, China while Madeleine will posted at the Permanent Mission of Seychelles to the United Nations in New York.

Lafortune told reporters that "I will work to ensure that the embassy becomes one that is working towards not only representing Seychelles interest but also turn an active and pro-active embassy."

On his side, Madeleine said he has given his to work in the country's interests in the specific mission he is assigned.