Malawi looking to share environmental practices, management with Seychelles: new High Commissioner

Hawa Olga Ndilowe is the third High Commissioner of Malawi to be accredited to Seychelles. (Joena Bonnelame, Seychelles News Agency)

(Seychelles News Agency) - Malawi is looking into possible cooperation with Seychelles in the area of environmental management, the newly accredited High Commissioner said Tuesday.

Hawa Olga Ndilowe shared those thoughts after presenting her accreditation documents to Seychelles’ President Danny Faure at State House.

Ndilowe said that the first thing she noticed from the Seychelles international airport at Pointe Larue on the eastern side of the main island, Mahe, was the island's greenery .

The new High Commissioner said, “We would like to cooperate [in this area] and make sure that we share practices in how to manage the environment.”   

Ndilowe also acknowledged that Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, has done well in tourism and said that there is potential for Malawi in this sector.

“We would like to maximise the contribution of tourism to the development of Malawi. It is a sector that is very important,” said Ndilowe.

Hawa Olga Ndilowe -- the newly accredited High Commissioner of Malawi to Seychelles during discussions with President Danny Faure. (Joena Bonnelame, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

The new High Commissioner added that Malawi is looking at opportunities to strengthen bilateral relations in priority sectors where best practices can be shared.

Ndilowe said Malawi and Seychelles are currently working on a double taxation agreement which will benefit both countries.

Youth unemployment and culture were two other subjects of the discussions between Ndilowe and President Faure.

Seychelles and Malawi have cooperated in the past through the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) in the past.

During her visit at the State House, the newly appointed High Commissioner also paid a courtesy call on the Vice President, Vincent Meriton.

The new High Commissioner said the two countries have diplomatic relations for many years and now Malawi wants to strengthen them. 

Ndilowe is the third High Commissioner of Malawi to the Seychelles and will be based in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.