Young entrepreneurs fair planned for CJSOI Games in Seychelles in 2025

The CJSOI flag was handed over to President Wavel Ramkalawan to confirm Seychelles as the host of the next edition of the games in 2025. (Sedrick Nicette, Seychelles News Agency)

(Seychelles News Agency) - An entrepreneurs fair regrouping young people from the Indian Ocean countries will be part of the Indian Ocean Youth and Sport Commission (CJSOI) Games that are expected to be held in Seychelles next year. 

The fair will be part of the youth programme  of the games, which also features sporting events to be held from July 28 to August 10.

The entrepreneurs fair will be organised by the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC), a member of the local organising committee of the CJSOI. 

Josette Cadence of the SNYC told SNA that the event would allow young people not only to showcase their services and products but also to meet entrepreneurs from other islands and share ideas.

"The fair will be opened for young people from the Indian Ocean aged 18-30 years. All participating countries are expected to bring two young entrepreneurs to participate except for Seychelles because, as the host country, we will have more participants," added Cadence.

Whilst the committee is yet to decide on the format and location of the event, young Seychellois entrepreneurs are being encouraged to prepare for the event, which may give them opportunities to grow and expand.

"It is so important for youths to network and share experiences and potentially open new markets," said Albert Duncan, the chief executive officer of the SNYC, stressing that youth development in entrepreneurship features highly on the council's portfolio.

Apart from the business fair, other components of the youth programme of the CJSOI include traditional cultural exchanges.

The CJSOI Games are held every two years, and were introduced in 1994  with the objective to promote friendship ties between young people from member states and foster regional cooperation, sporting culture and the development of young people.

The member states of CJSOI include Comoros, Djibouti, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Reunion Island and Seychelles.

Seychelles is getting ready to host the Games, which will also include 11 sporting events, namely judo, badminton, athletics, swimming, boxing, volleyball, football, basketball, sailing, beach soccer and weightlifting.

There are plans for renovation on some key infrastructures needed for the smooth hosting of the CJSOI games. These include the main stadium of Stad Linite as well as the Palais des Sports for basketball and volleyball, and the swimming pool - all located at the Roche Caiman Sports Complex.

The 13th edition of the CJSOI game is the third time that Seychelles is hosting the games, after 1999 and 2008.

The last Games that were held in Mauritius in 2022, Seychelles finished in third place with 45 medals, 12 gold, 12 silver, and 21 bronze. The winner of the event was Reunion, an overseas French Department, with 142 medals, 57 gold, 56 silver and 29 bronze. Mauritius was second with 138 medals - 46 gold, 44 silver and 48 bronze.