Message from the chairperson of Care, Sarah Rene

Message from the chairperson of Care, Sarah Rene

26-June-2014

‘Government has to give top priority to drugs issue’

The chairperson of the Campaign for Awareness, Resilience and Education (Care) against substance abuse Sarah Rene has said drugs is an issue the government and all its institutions have to give top priority to and to seek out effective solutions at all levels.

This comes out in her message to mark the international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

Mrs Rene’s message reads: “Today we as a nation mark once again the international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

“This sad day, is coming to symbolise more and more the destruction of increasingly large numbers of our younger generation, the future of our world. This in itself should be enough reason to be the most pressing concern of all governments and institutions the world over and more especially in our small beloved vulnerable island nation. 

“The fear and concerns associated with drugs in all their forms, whether it is use, abuse or trafficking, and the impact on the lives of the victims and their family and society is at the foremost of the minds of all people from all walks of life. In all district forums it has been one of the most important and pressing issues as it is seen as the cancer eating into the soul and the vitals of our people.

“It is an issue which the government and all its institutions have to give top priority to and to seek out effective solutions at all levels, whether it is prevention, early intervention, treatment and rehabilitation or enforcement in all their complexities and implement them.

“There are best practices to follow in the world that have done just that and one such example is Sweden where the drug issue is given top priority by government and the results, supported by statistics are there for the world to see.

“Life time prevalence of drug use is much lower in Sweden than the rest of Europe including among the young people. There is also a continuous decline in drug use and has the lowest injecting drug use related HIV infections.

“In the Annual Prevalence of Drug use among the age group 15 to 64 of all drugs, Sweden is almost a quarter of that of the European average.  Life time drug use including cannabis of 15-16 year olds has gone from half to 1/3 of that of most European countries and the gap is increasing.

“As shown in the UNODC Report of 2007, the prevalence and incidence rates of drug abuse have fallen in Sweden while they are increasing in most other European countries.

“As we work with the children and the youth and we witness the suffering drugs are causing to both the abuser and their families we realise that the worse kind of criminal and the most evil is the drug trafficker. Whereas a murderer murders the body of a person the trafficker destroys both the soul and the spirit and then destroys the body of hundreds and hundreds of individuals. What greater criminal can there be than this! I wish to take this opportunity to appeal to the drug traffickers once again to please stop their evil trade. 

“Our final words are to all parents, guardians and teachers of our children. Care works in the field of prevention and research and our experience has shown very clearly that the best way to protect children from becoming a victim of this drug scourge is to connect with them. 

“On this day, let us reflect on how we adults, be it as parents, care-givers, teachers, counsellors or whatever our relationship with children, can develop bonds of affection and love to the children in our care. Let us praise our children, sit and talk to them with gentleness and care, encourage them, guide them when they go wrong, let us discipline them with rules and boundaries not with insult, shouting and beating. Let us show them that we love them in many small ways. This will be a meaningful contribution in making them resilient and protect them from drugs.

“On this day I give thanks to all individuals who are working hard in the field of drug prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and law enforcement. I wish that a renewed concerted effort is put into stemming the tide of drug use and abuse in Seychelles.
“Together we can do it.” 

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BMI, Nouvobanq staff learn new skills to detect money laundering

BMI, Nouvobanq staff learn new skills to detect money laundering

26-June-2014

Staff of BMI Offshore Bank and Nouvobanq have for two days this week followed a training programme to arm them with new skills to better detect and effectively fight off attempts of money laundering.

The training was conducted by an expert in the field, Tariq Ali from Trident Financial & Accounting, an international banking consultant firm based in Bahrain – one of the biggest financial centres in the Middle East.

The training organised jointly by the two banks is aimed at ensuring that staff of the two institutions acquire the necessary anti-money laundering and combating terrorism financing knowledge to perform their day-to-day job effectively while complying with both local and international regulations. 

The training covered all the important aspects of anti-money laundering and terrorism financing, provisions of the Seychelles Anti-Money Laundering Act, as well as reviewed latest trends in international anti-money laundering best practices. 

“We recognise that we operate in an increasingly risky and challenging environment characterised by complex and sophisticated transactions from unscrupulous customers. We need well-trained and knowledgeable staff to implement policies and procedures to fight attempts to launder money through our banking system,” said Frank Hoareau, the managing director of BMI Offshore Bank.
“Given the challenges we face today in our banking business, ongoing staff training is indispensable in generating awareness on and helping to combat the illegal practices of money laundering which can destroy reputation of not only banks, but countries as well,” Mr Hoareau stressed.

Mr Hoareau noted the fact that BMI Offshore Bank staff deal with clients whom they do not know makes it more important for them to be on their guard all the time and it is through training that they would acquire the skills to do so. 

“Recent events in Seychelles have highlighted to us that we are not spared from money laundering, wherever it is coming from, but that we live in a world where money laundering risks are real. Through training we are giving our staff the knowledge and skills to help our banks to better manage these risks,” said Ahmad Saeed, the managing director of Nouvobanq. 

Speaking on the sideline of the BMI Offshore Bank staff training yesterday afternoon, Mr Ali pointed out that criminals are becoming more and more cunning and it is only through training that financial institution staff can be more aware of and be able to detect suspicious transactions and remain ahead of criminals.

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Sri Lankan President arrives tomorrow

Sri Lankan President arrives tomorrow

26-June-2014

Seychelles has the great honour in welcoming President Mahinda Rajapaksa of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to a three-day official visit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said.
In a communiqué, the ministry said that the visit follows President James Alix Michel’s visit to Sri Lanka to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in November 2013.
President Rajapaksa will be arriving tomorrow.

As part of his programme, President Rajapaksa will call on President Michel and also ceremonially open the Sri Lankan high commission in Seychelles, as well as offices of the Bank of Ceylon, Sri Lanka Insurance, Mihin Lanka and the Nawaloka Medical centre.

“President Rajapaksa’s present visit to Seychelles cements the close relations between the two countries and demonstrates Sri Lanka’s active engagement with Seychelles as a resolute partner in bilateral relations,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs communiqué.

“The visit also highlights the importance of President Rajapaksa's State Visit to Seychelles last year, whereby the positive effects of the memoranda of understanding and agreements initialed are coming to fruition,” the communiqué added.

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BMI, Nouvobanq staff learn new skills to detect money laundering

BMI, Nouvobanq staff learn new skills to detect money laundering

26-June-2014

Staff of BMI Offshore Bank and Nouvobanq have for two days this week followed a training programme to arm them with new skills to better detect and effectively fight off attempts of money laundering.

The training was conducted by an expert in the field, Tariq Ali from Trident Financial & Accounting, an international banking consultant firm based in Bahrain – one of the biggest financial centres in the Middle East.

The training organised jointly by the two banks is aimed at ensuring that staff of the two institutions acquire the necessary anti-money laundering and combating terrorism financing knowledge to perform their day-to-day job effectively while complying with both local and international regulations. 

The training covered all the important aspects of anti-money laundering and terrorism financing, provisions of the Seychelles Anti-Money Laundering Act, as well as reviewed latest trends in international anti-money laundering best practices. 

“We recognise that we operate in an increasingly risky and challenging environment characterised by complex and sophisticated transactions from unscrupulous customers. We need well-trained and knowledgeable staff to implement policies and procedures to fight attempts to launder money through our banking system,” said Frank Hoareau, the managing director of BMI Offshore Bank.
“Given the challenges we face today in our banking business, ongoing staff training is indispensable in generating awareness on and helping to combat the illegal practices of money laundering which can destroy reputation of not only banks, but countries as well,” Mr Hoareau stressed.

Mr Hoareau noted the fact that BMI Offshore Bank staff deal with clients whom they do not know makes it more important for them to be on their guard all the time and it is through training that they would acquire the skills to do so. 

“Recent events in Seychelles have highlighted to us that we are not spared from money laundering, wherever it is coming from, but that we live in a world where money laundering risks are real. Through training we are giving our staff the knowledge and skills to help our banks to better manage these risks,” said Ahmad Saeed, the managing director of Nouvobanq. 

Speaking on the sideline of the BMI Offshore Bank staff training yesterday afternoon, Mr Ali pointed out that criminals are becoming more and more cunning and it is only through training that financial institution staff can be more aware of and be able to detect suspicious transactions and remain ahead of criminals.

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Seychelles Ministry of Tourism and Culture proposes to the World Bank a meeting of small island states of Africa

Seychelles Ministry of Tourism and Culture proposes to the World Bank a meeting of small island states of Africa

 

After days of intense discussions with the Seychelles Tourism Board and Tourism Department, the Cabo Verde technical team deliberated on the importance of having a benchmark where both countries could follow and share expertise in the field of tourism.

In its de-briefing on Friday with the Seychelles Minister of Tourism and Culture, Alain St.Ange and the Cabo Verde Minister of Tourism, Industry and Energy, Humberto Santos de Brito, the technical team delivered their observations from previous days of meetings and networking.

 

It came out pretty clear for the Cabo Verde team comprising of World Bank Experts and Representatives from the Ministry of Finance, from the Tourism private sector and from Government that the meeting was an excellent platform to “share notes” in preparing the small island state for the drafting of its new ten-year strategic plan. It also came out strongly that Cabo Verde was missing out on the benefits of a tourism model where the role of public-private partnership was crucial for its tourism growth. 

The Cabo Verde’s technical team was further impressed with the Seychelles sources and collection method of data related to tourism activities. Another area that was appraised by the Cabo Verde technical team was human-capacity building in tourism industry especially in the area of training offered to professionals by the Seychelles Tourism Academy.  The World Bank believed although Cabo Verde learnt a lot of lessons from Seychelles, (small island states) these expertises can only be adapted to the respective island’s specificities as no shoe fits all must be respected.

 

Minister St.Ange used that meeting to request that the World Bank team consider his proposal for a small island states of Africa meeting which will be an ideal platform to consolidate ideas. Small island states of Africa, he said, “ should have one common voice because we not only share common attributes, but we also share common challenges”.  Minister Humberto Santo de Brito on his part said Cabo Verde will begin its annual Ministry's retreat in July to work on its tourism strategic plan and he went on to say that input by representatives from Seychelles would be important in this process.

 

Photo Caption: Minister St.Ange and Minister Santos de Brito chairing the debriefing of Cabo Verde's technical team in the presence of representatives of the Seychelles Tourism Board and of the Tourism Department

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Pillay R Group brings healthy Paradise juices to paradise

Pillay R Group brings healthy Paradise juices to paradise

16-June-2014

You want a healthy juice rich in vitamins A and C, rich in calcium and iron, and on top of that has a good taste?
Pillay R Group of Companies has the answer – the Paradise juices.

On June 10, Pillay R Group of Companies officially launched the healthy Paradise juices which are simply super refreshing. It is the first time such healthy juices are introduced in Seychelles with an amazing combination of vitamins A and C. They are also rich in calcium and iron.

Designated Minister Vincent Meriton, Tourism and Culture Minister Alain St Ange, Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) chief executive Sherin Naiken, Pillay R Group of companies chairman and managing director Ramu Pillay and Miss Seychelles … Another World 2014 Camilla Estico had the honour of tasting and launching this exciting brand of juices at the Life Style boutique at Unity House.
The event was witnessed by other guests and Pillay R Group management team and staff. They also got to enjoy the amazing taste of the new juices.
Minister St Ange said: “This is what I like to see: new products, new ideas and entrepreneurial spirit.”

Everyone really enjoyed the new range of juices and beauty queen Estico said it was a good initiative by Pillay R Group to organise this free tasting of healthy juices. 
She is encouraging children and other people to consume more healthy juices rich in vitamins, calcium and iron, which will help fight obesity in the long run. In fact, this is the project she plans to pursue aggressively in the near future.

Designated Minister Meriton, Tourism and Culture Minister St Ange and Ms Naiken seemed to like the brand Paradise which is in line with promoting Seychelles as paradise. They were all appreciative of the new tasty and healthy juices and congratulated Mr Pillay for taking the initiative to import these juices.

For his part Mr Pillay said: “We have been working towards a healthier society in Seychelles and this is the reason we have been carrying out various customer education and tasting events of healthy products like Pascual yoghurts in Ramajayam Group outlets and schools. Paradise juices provide another excellent platform for the society to enjoy the benefit of health and taste at affordable prices.” 

D. V. Sharma, purchase and global sourcing manager with Pillay R Group, added: “Paradise is simply a delicious blend of squeezed happiness, crushed joy and a chunk of love. Hand-picked the fruits are squeezed and pressed to make the perfect juice in six flavours for children, family members and all in a health loving society.  It is a juice for all members of the family, fortified with calcium, vitamins that are good for everyone’s health.  PRG International of Pillay R Group based at the former Siba (Seychelles International Business Authority) will be making it available in all Ramajayam stores and all popular retail outlets on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.  The theme of the Paradise juices is: ‘Everyday A Better Day’. We urge everyone in society to drink Paradise juices everyday and urge the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health to help us reach out to schools and to educate society about the advantages of consuming such healthy products.  We often complain that all healthy products are expensive but Paradise juices which are of the highest quality are very affordable. We would like to see all retail outlets stock it for wider reach.”  
 
Paradise juices are supplied by Faragalla – an Egyptian company for food development which has 28 factories and all of them are certified for ISO 22000, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and HACCP in addition to FDA with 500,000sqm. The company exports Paradise juices to over 120 countries in the world including the USA, Europe, Africa and Asia. Seychelles is probably the first country in Africa to introduce Paradise juices. 

Paradise juices are available in popular mango, orange, apple, cocktail, pineapple and guava flavours in very attractive 1ltr and 250ml packing with straws.  The retail prices are R5.25 for 250ml and below R16.75 for 1ltr. 

A rare combination of highest quality and affordability, it is absolutely important to note that Paradise juices will ensure that while you are enjoying these juices, vitamins, calcium and iron will already enter into your body and you won’t even notice it. Really good value for money and quality of health, explained Mr Sharma.

Calcium is important for bones and teeth. Failure to obtain sufficient calcium in growing children leads to stunted growth, and in adults to inadequate mineralisation of bones and poor functioning of the muscles and nerves. In pregnancy and lactation or nursing, women frequently impair their own bodies as well as those of the offspring by providing insufficient calcium for the needs both of mother and child.

Iron is an essential part of the hemoglobin or red colouring matter of the blood cells. As the old cells are destroyed, the iron is deposited in the bone marrow, which is sort of a hemoglobin factory. A sufficient amount of iron is not obtained from the worn-out cells, however, and new iron must be added continually in the diet to keep up the red cell content of the blood.
Cheers to the Pillay R Group family for this new initiative and let me, my family, my colleagues, my friends be the first one to be healthy!

Contributed

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‘Bondye in beni nou lo kote sa mayok, sa patat toulezour’

Premye show lagrikiltir ek ortikiltir lo Praslin

16-June-2014

‘Bondye in beni nou lo kote sa mayok, sa patat toulezour’

«Vreman Bondye in beni nou lo kote sa mayok, sa patat toulezour.»
Se manm Lasanble Nasyonal pour Baie Ste Anne Praslin, Madanm Natasha Esther, ki ti repran sa vers dan sanson John Wirtz dan son diskour pour louvertir premye show lagrikiltir ek ortikiltir lo Praslin Sanmdi bomaten kot lekol Baie Ste Anne primer.

Plizyer gro manze ti anvant e ti menm pa ase pour aster ki ti profite pour aste e al prepar bann manze rar. Ti menm annan kari bernik, kari zourit, kari bef sale e lezot ankor anvant, zis bon pour fer desann avek en bout mayok bwi.

Prezidan James Michel ki ti akonpannyen par son fiy Laeticia, Minis Dezinyen Vincent Meriton, lezot minis, sekreter prensipal, bann manm komite lorganizasyon Lazournen Nasyonal, Miss Seychelles … Another World 2014 Camilla Estico, lezot envite, bann zanfan lekol e manm piblik ti la pour sa lokazyon.

Minis pour Lasante, Mitcy Larue, ki en zabitan Praslin e ki ti pe ranplas Minis pour Resours Natirel, Peter Sinon, ki aletranze, ti dir dan son diskour louvertir ki «travay later pour prodwi plis manze pour nouri en nasyon i louvraz pli nob ki annan.»

On non gouvernman i ti felisit tou fermye ki pe relev tou bann defi pour kontinyelman prodwi ase manze pour nou nasyon.
Minis Larue ti dir ki «sa show i tre senbolik … i tonm tre byen dan nou zefor pour redonn Praslin son vre plas dan sekter prodiksyon manze. Prezans Prezidan Michel parmi nou i demontre komitman gouvernman pour asire ki Praslin ek La Digue i repran zot pozisyon enportan dan sa sekter. Lo Praslin nou’n kapab protez bokou later agrikol. I malere ki i annan plizyer morso sa bann later ki pa pe ganny kiltive. Dan nou zefor pour relans sa sekter isi lo Praslin, Lazans Lagrikiltir pe re-evalye tou bann later ki dan lanmen bann fermye me ki pa pe ganny devlope. Avek bi pour ogmant plis prodiksyon, Minister Resours Natirel pou demann Lazans Lagrikiltir pour repran sa bann later e redistribye avek bann nouvo aplikan ki anvi seryezman devlop sa sekter,» Madanm Larue ti dir.

Minis Larue ti azoute ki pour siport bann nouvo devloper, gouvernman atraver Labank Devlopman Sesel pe met plis larzan pour lòn lagrikiltir anba ‘Fon Devlopman Lagrikiltir’ pour donn fermye en lòn 750,000 roupi avek en lentere zis 2.5%. I osi annan lòn 150,000 roupi pour bann pti fermye.

Gouvernman pe osi siport 50% ‘premium’ anba sa nouvo lasirans ki tou fermye i kapab pran pour protez zot lenvestisman. Sa i a fer ki zot lenvestisman pa pou anven sirtou dan bann sitiasyon dezas.

Minis ti azoute ki Fon Kuwait pour Devlopman in dakor pour met plis ki 4 milyon dolar Ameriken dan reabilitasyon lekol lagrikiltir. Avek retour Fon Enternasyonal pour Devlopman Lagrikiltir apre plis ki 20-an labsans, Sesel pe ganny en lòn 3 milyon dolar Ameriken pour devlop sa sekter e Labank Afriken pour Devlopman pou donn 1 milyon dolar Ameriken pour fer en letid e kalkile konbyen tou sa bann proze devlopman ki Sesel pe anvizaze fer pou koute.

Madanm Larue ti azoute ki «nou devret donn plis konnesans modern nou bann antreprener akoz lagrikiltir i tret bokou size siyantifik. Nou bezwen redres sa sekter dan en fason soutenab e fer ki prodiksyon manze i vin en karyer ki pey fre, ki bann fermye i ganny ase reveni pour zot agrandi zot biznes e re-envestir ankor pour agrandir nou baz ekonomik.»

I ti fer resorti ki lamazorite nou bann fri ki nou prodwi isi Sesel i ganny prodwi dan en fason organik e ki bokou plis zefor pou ganny fer pour promouvwar prodwi Sesel koman organik.

«Nou bann fermye i devret sezi sa bann loportinite e ofer tou kailte prodwi fri ek legim organik ki a permet zot fer konpetisyon avek sa bann prodwi enporte ki nou pa ni konnen dan ki sirkonstans zot in ganny prodwi e ki bann prodwi simik ki’n servi pour prodwi zot avek,» Minis Larue ti dir e azoute ki nou vin sa ki nou manze.

Lo son kote, Madanm Esther ti dir ki sa show lagriltir ek ortikiltir i pli gro levennman ki zil Praslin in deza organize pour mark lazournen nasyonal.
I ti dekri sa show konman «en platform enteraksyon pour bann dimoun ki fer prodiksyon lagrikiltir ek ortikiltir e bann ki konsonm sa bann prodwi.»

Pandan sa seremoni louvertir ti osi annan en poenm resite par en fiy sorti lekol primer La Digue, e ladans par bann zanfan lekol primer Baie Ste Anne e de peser ti soufle lansiv pour ofisyelman ouver sa show.

Gran gannyan dan kategori konpetitiv i madanm Andrine Denis ki ti ranport 5 pri.
Sa madanm aze 56-an ti dir avek zournal Nasyon ki se son lanmour pour later ek lagrikiltir ki fer li ranport sa bann pri.

«Mon annan bokou lanmour pour travay lagrikiltir. Mon akouraz bann zenn pour vin pli serye dan sa domenn akoz i annan bokou rannman,»  Madanm Denis ti dir.

Bann kategori konpetitiv i konpri : Gro manze, fri, legim ek zepis ; laranzman fler ; plan fler fleri dan po ; plan fler ki pa fleri dan po ; graphic arts and craft ; school garden ; ek zannimo laferm.

Bann gannyan i konm swivan : laranzman en melanz fri lokal – Andrine Denis ; laranzman en melanz legim lokal – Andrine Denis ; laranzman diferan varyete legim fey dan kabos  – François Dugasse ; 
laranzman en melanz gro manze – Andrine Denis ; laranzman gro manze endividyel – Andrine Denis ; laranzman en melanz zepis dan kabos – Andrine Denis ; laranzman fler sek dan en panyen – Bernadette Sophola ; laranzman fler vivan/koupe pour latab dan lakour ou biro – Stella Philoe ; laranzman fler vivan/koupe pour lo resepsyon – Achille Savy ; en sel kalite plan vivan ek son fler fleri dan en po beton, plastik, seramik ou later rouz kwi – Jacqueline Renaud ; en sel kalite plan fler vivan ki pa fleri dan en po beton, plastik, seramik ou later rouz kwi – Melta Uzice ; en desen lapentir lo tenm lagrikiltir ek ortikiltir lo nenport materyo – Chantal Rose ; en desen nwanr ek blan lo tenm lagrikiltir e ortikiltir lo nenport materyo – Jeff Lesperance ; Fler leba, travay dibwa, siman, later rouz kwi ou laglas lo  tenm lagrikiltir ek ortikiltir – Chantal Rose ; en melanz plan vivan legim fey ek legim fri, zepis, gro manze, fler vivan ek lezot dekorasyon zarden dan en zarden – lekol primer Baie Ste Anne ; poul ponn komersyal – l’Union Estate ; poul lokal (3 poul ek 1 kok) – Pierre Philoe ; denn ( femel ek 1 mal) – Marie-Annette Rose ; kannar mannir (2 femel ek 1 mal) – Pierre Philoe ; kannar patouyar (2 femel ek 1 mal) – Michel Dugasse ; kannar mile (2 femel ek 1 mal) – Michel Dugasse ; lapen (2 femel ek 1 mal) – Leonard Rose ; koson denn (4 femel ek 1 mal) – Leonard Rose ; bef (1 pti zenis maksimonm 5 mwan) – Krishnan Padayachy ; bef (1 pti toro maksimonm 5 mwan) – Krishnan Padayachy ; kabri (1 mal, 1 femel ek 2 ou 3 piti) – Pierre Philoe ; koson (4 pti koson dile ant 6 a 10 semenn) – Michel Dugasse ; travay dibwa – Leon Bacco ; ek travay siman – Mike Moosa.

Ti napa konpetiter dan trwa kategori – pentard, zwa ek pan – e bann manm organizater i dir ki sa i domaz akoz sa trwa zannimo i egziste lo Praslin.
Bann pri i varye ant 800 a 4,500 roupi e bann gannyan pou resevwar zot pri pandan en seremoni dan de semenn.

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Ouverture du bâtiment Espace : Un Espace pour les jeunes

Ouverture du bâtiment Espace : Un Espace pour les jeunes

16-June-2014

« Espace, le bâtiment iconique, figure imposante représentant un style d’architecture unique émanant de différentes origines ethniques reflétant la diversité de la culture des Seychelles et du monde. »

C’est ainsi donc qu’il a été décrit par son concepteur la Fondation Jj Spirit, l’ONG qui a l’image de son nouveau et éblouissant quartier général, s’est donnée comme mission le développement et l’épanouissement de la jeunesse des Seychelles.

Ça faisait deux ans que de loin on le regardait surgir de terre, tel une montagne ou pourquoi pas une île colorée, et peindre un beau tableau dans le ciel et à la fois fournir un magnifique décor à la Baie de Victoria. 

C’est le Président James Michel et patron de la Fondation qui a eu l’honneur samedi soir de dévoiler la plaque pour marquer l’ouverture du bâtiment. Ceci, en présence des ministres, de la présidente de la fondation Mme Lise Bastienne, de ses membres et de nombreux jeunes.

La traditionnelle rituelle de bénédiction du nouveau édifice a été dirigée par les Pères Alcindor et Calais, respectivement de l’Eglise Catholique et Anglicane.

Dans son discours, Mme Bastienne a rappelé les nombreuses actions dans lesquelles la Fondation s’est engagée au bénéfice des jeunes. Celles-ci, au niveau éducationnel, social, économique, culturel ou autre.  Elle a souligné que les nouveaux locaux offriront justement un espace formidable, un lieu de rencontre commun appartenant aux jeunes et ou ceux-ci pourront se détendre, se reposer et continuer à se développer.

Elle leur a lancé un appel pour saisir les opportunités qui leur sont offertes. 
« Pour apprécier à sa juste valeur cet édifice, il faut l’appréhender dans le contexte de la raison d’être de la Jj Spirit Foundation. En effet, il est important d’y voir une autre preuve éloquente de la politique de la Fondation de garantir à nos jeunes un environnement propice à leur épanouissement. Les locaux pourraient changer mais la raison d’être et le cœur du travail de la Fondation ne changeront pas ! Sa mission restera la même : celle d’accompagner les jeunes et les aider à réaliser leur plein potentiel.

Vous les jeunes, la Fondation vous offre cet Espace! Lieu d’expression, lieu de recréation, lieu d’épanouissement… Que cet Espace vous inspire à maintenir et à promouvoir les valeurs qui soudent la société seychelloise. Les valeurs qui nous unissent comme un peuple, qui nous invitent à partager et à donner », a-t-elle dit.

A juste titre, différents jeunes artistes dont beaucoup ont été repérés et produits par la fondation, ont pu baptiser la grande scène ouverte et pratiquement sur l’eau devant le bâtiment.

Dans un ‘voyage dans l’espace’, un spectacle de son et d’images accompagnés comme musique de fond d’un poème d’une vraie beauté créole tant dans ses vers que dans sa locution, a montré les grandes valeurs commençant par la lettre ‘R’ : ‘Responsabilité’, ‘Résilience et ‘Réalisme’. Ces valeurs ont été décrites par Mme Bastienne comme « les clés dans le développement d’un citoyen réussi et exemplaire ».

La construction du bâtiment Espace, qui abrite également d’autres bureaux et commerces, a été rendu possible par un prêt de Nouvobanq et par la générosité de nombreux donateurs, auxquels la présidente de Jj Spirit Foundation n’a pas manqué de remercier. Un remerciement spécial a été adressé à son patron le président Michel, dont le rêve a été tourné en réalité, en un grand accomplissement  pour les prochaines générations.

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National Day celebrations – agricultural and horticultural show on Praslin

National Day celebrations – agricultural and horticultural show on Praslin

16-June-2014

Farmers display quality harvests

Farmers from Praslin, La Digue and even from Mahé displayed quality produce and animals in the first agricultural and horticultural show on Praslin at the weekend.
Fruit, vegetables, flowers, chickens, ducks, cows, goats, guinea pigs and other animals were all on show.

President James Michel graced the event with his presence and thanked the National Day celebrations organising committee for taking the initiative to organise the event for the first time on Praslin. 
“It is a good initiative as not all National Day activities which are for the whole population should take place on Mahé. Praslinois and Diguois have been given the opportunity to express themselves and they have done it very well,” said President Michel who was accompanied by his daughter Laeticia.

He added: “The displays prove that Praslin and La Digue still boast the capacity to produce fruit, vegetables and crops. The government now has to empower these farmers to continue producing better produce and by using new scientific methods to produce more food. I am fascinated by the interest shown by Praslinois and Diguois who have displayed their best produce and products. I would like to congratulate all those who have taken part in the show and urge them not to wait until only during the National Day to showcase their produce to members of the public but organise fairs in the future.”

The President, who has worked for a long time as Parti Lepep’s central committee representative for Praslin, also called on young Praslinois and Diguois to follow in the footsteps of their parents by growing food for the country’s consumption.

The agricultural and horticultural show took place on the playing field on Eve Island, while the opening ceremony was at the Baie Ste Anne primary school, also on Eve Island.
On Saturday, the show was open until 6pm and yesterday it closed at 3pm.

Food producing entrepreneurs, artists and other socio-economic actors on Praslin and La Digue used the show to showcase their produce and products. The aims of the show were to provide a platform of interaction for buyers and sellers, particularly those purchasing for hotels as there has been much complaints on the low marketability of farm produce on Praslin and La Digue; to valorise organisational skills of the various stakeholders of Praslin in collaborative actions with the district administration offices of Praslin and to provide two days of entertainment and education for both residents and visitors. 

There were 35 competitive categories and the winners in each category were displayed on the exhibits. In the competitive domain there were floral arrangements of both living and dried flowers, root crops, leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables and fruit arrangements, arts and crafts. 

Products on sale in the non-competitive category included flowers, coconuts, fruit and vegetable trees, potted flowers, raw agricultural produce, locally produced food items, processed agricultural produce as well as cooked dishes, drinks and refreshments. 

Speaking to Seychelles Nation, Antoine Marie Moustache, a member of the organising committee, said the produce were judged in terms of their quality and class, for example the fruit and animals had to be without defects.

He also said the organisers are very satisfied with the level of involvement of Praslinois, Diguois and people from Mahé.
“The level of involvement has surpassed our expectations. We did not have enough stalls for everybody and those who could not get a stall still came and took part. We congratulate the Praslinois and Diguois for making the show a success,” said Mr Moustache who also thanked the private sector and sponsors for their strong role played in the organisation of the show.

Praslin fishermen also took the opportunity to display their catch in the newly introduced fisheries products category.
Our photos show guests viewing some of the displays in the show.

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Seychelles commended for enacting legislation on Trafficking in Persons

Seychelles commended for enacting legislation on Trafficking in Persons

14.06.2014

The Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children, Ms Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, commended the Government of Seychelles for enacting 'Prohibition on trafficking in persons act, 2014' at the 26th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, where she presented her report on her visit to Seychelles in January 2014. The visit took place following an open invitation by Seychelles to the Special Procedures mechanism of the United Nations in November 2012.

The Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children,  commended the strong political will and efforts made by Seychelles towards combatting trafficking in persons.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Jean Paul Adam welcomed the report, and in recognising the invisible and clandestine nature of the crime of trafficking in persons, noted that although there have been no reported cases of trafficking in persons to date, national mechanisms will be strengthened in order to be able address trafficking when instances are identified, and that an evidence based approach must be taken to address the real situation of trafficking in persons in Seychelles.  Minister Adam also noted that the Act on trafficking in persons, whilst penalising the crime of trafficking in persons, also makes provisions for the protection and rehabilitation of victims of trafficking in persons. Additionally, the Act establishes a formalized Interministerial National Coordinating Committee to harmonize the country’s efforts in combatting trafficking in persons, and to oversee the implementation and operationalization of a National Strategy and Action Plan on Trafficking in Persons.

Due note was taken of the areas of improvement indicated by the Special Rapporteur with regards to effectively combatting the transnational crime of trafficking in persons, with Minister Adam assuring the Human Rights Council that as a “strong proponent of the promotion and protection of human rights, Seychelles is determined act decisively against these heinous crimes”.

The Government of Seychelles will continue to have constructive dialogues with the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children, and to work closely with national and international partners, such as the International Organization on Migration and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in order to combat trafficking in persons and to provide effective protection and rehabilitative services for victims of trafficking in persons.

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Stakeholders team up to curb rise in anti-social behaviour

Stakeholders team up to curb rise in anti-social behaviour

12-June-2014

Drug and alcohol abuse, dispute among families and neighbours, playing loud music in residential areas, swearing and prostitution are some anti-social behaviour among others that the police and other stakeholders deal with every day.
 
With a rise in the trend of these anti-social issues,

police officers from all different stations, family tribunal officers and representatives of the Property Management Company (PMC) attended a one-day  familiarisation workshop this week on how to legally tackle more effectively concerns over those anti-social  behaviour and activities happening in the communities and housing estates.

The workshop, which is in line with the social renaissance campaign, took place at the Seychelles Police Academy (SPA) at Pointe Larue and was conducted by Gerard Esparon,  Hemanth Kumar, Clement Potter from the Attorney General’s  Office and Juliana Estico, Registrar of the Supreme Court. 

According to the Commander of the SPA, Superintendent Francois Freminot, with the growing trend of anti-social issues in the districts and housing estates, the police officers and other partner stakeholders need to be more  informed in the legal context, especially on the correct manner to gather relevant evidence and to build up strong cases for prosecution in court. 

“Legal action is our last option when dealing with anti- social issues and this workshop will also educate the officers on new ways and approaches when dealing with anti-social behavior,” he said.
During the workshop, which was of a purely technical nature, the officers from the AG’s office gave an overview of existing laws in the penal code that govern anti-social conduct and gave advice on the different approaches to deal with anti-social issues within the law and the different techniques to gather evidence for prosecution in court among other related topics.

Delegates were also advised on the need to educate the community on anti-social behaviour so that the community will be aware of what are tolerable and what are not acceptable in society. 
After the presentations delegates asked for more clarifications on certain issues from the facilitators. 
  

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Seychelles takes steps to protect more marine areas

Seychelles takes steps to protect more marine areas

12-June-2014

The Ministry of Environment and Energy is drawing up a Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) which will clearly demarcate areas designated for fishing, recreation, oil exploration and tapping as well as harnessing of renewable energy sources.

Seychelles has a total land area of 455 km² spread over an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 1.3 million square km, an EEZ slightly larger than South Africa and about six times the size of the United Kingdom.

Already, half of the Seychelles’ land territory is protected under law as nature reserves.

In an interview with the Seychelles News Agency (SNA), Didier Dogley, special advisor to the minister, said the plan, which should be finalised before two years, will be the equivalent of the Land Use Plan.

He said that a consultative process is ongoing to avoid any conflict between various economic operators.

"For instance, we feel it is important that some areas are set aside expressly for demersal fishing, which should not clash with other activities such as sea-bed mining," he said.

The Seychelles Fishing Boat Owners Association has called it a "good initiative" and hopes that the concerns of the fishing community will be taken into consideration.

"It will be easier for fishermen to abide by the plan when it is implemented, if they have been consulted before it is drawn up," said the association’s chairman Keith André, who heads about 40 boat owners and some 120 fishermen, most of whom engaged in demersal or bottom fishing.

Mr André noted that coastal demersal fishing presently only yields between 2,500 and 3,000 tonnes of fish yearly which is not impacting on fish stocks and the environment.

He added that there is an urgent need for better control of foreign-owned purse seiners, which are bringing in high percentages of by-catch, such as turtles, dolphins and other protected species.

While the percentage of protected areas on land is a little over 50 percent, marine parks and other conservation zones is said to constitute just 1 percent of Seychelles' 1.3 million square kilometres of Exclusive Economic Zone.

The main ones are the marine parks of St Anne, Bay Ternay and Curieuse, as well as the waters around Cousin, Aride, Ile Coco, St Pierre and some outer islands.

Dogley said the MSP will provide for a more rational use of Seychelles' EEZ.

He told the SNA that the MSP is being drawn up following Seychelles' ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 and has three main goals -- conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of natural resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from such resources.

Mr Dogley noted that 1 percent of our marine zone as protected areas is way below the minimum 17 percent set by the CBD.

"Presently, residents and visitors alike can fish almost anywhere, besides the few marine parks," he noted.

Mr Dogley said it is envisaged that proclamation of more protected areas could be traded in a "debt swap" conditional, upon agreement by members of the Paris Club to write off part of Seychelles' external debt, which presently stands at 65 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He added that part of the funds owed to the Paris Club would hence be channeled through a Trust Fund which will fund boats, training and other operational costs of managing marine protected areas.

In April this year, USA's largest environmental organization Nature Conservancy also announced that it will mobilize an $80 million debt-swap for the government of Seychelles, in exchange for its commitment to enhance marine conservation and climate adaptation commitments. 

In an online statement released, Nature Conservancy said the project aims to create the Indian Ocean’s second largest marine reserve where some 200,000 square kilometres of Seychelles’ territorial waters would be classified as “replenishment zones” to protect important tuna feeding grounds, and therefore the tuna industry, which is the second pillar of the Seychelles economy.

Seychelles with more than half of its territory protected as nature reserves is not the only island state concerned with the conservation of its terrestrial and marine resources.

New Caledonia, a French overseas territory recently made what has been dubbed a 'historic move' when it announced the decision to create the world’s largest protected area on land or sea covering an area of 1.3 million square kilometres.

The small island nation state in the Pacific Ocean with a population of a little over 250,000 people is being viewed as the most conservation minded country in the world.

Seychelles, with over 50 percent of its land territory protected, now follows in close second place. New Zealand, which has 30 percent of its territory protected as nature reserves is in third place.

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Air Seychelles reports strong first quarter performance

Air Seychelles reports strong first quarter performance

12-June-2014

Air Seychelles has recorded strong 2014 first quarter results with a 38.2 per cent increase in passenger numbers to 95,372, compared to the same period in 2013 (69,009 passengers).

Passenger numbers on Air Seychelles’ international network increased 77.3 per cent to 58,971, a result of more traffic between the Seychelles and Abu Dhabi, Mauritius, Johannesburg and Hong Kong.

A 66 per cent increase in revenue was attributable to improved connectivity with codeshare partner, Etihad Airways’ global network, and enhanced cargo services.

Cargo tonnage for the period rose 126.8 per cent to 1,602 tonnes, driven by strong demand from Paris, Hong Kong, and Johannesburg, enhancements to Air Seychelles’ on-ground cargo handling capability in Mahé, and the launch of Seychelles domestic cargo services. 

Air Seychelles’ chief executive Manoj Papa said:  “Our Q1 passenger and cargo performance indicates that we are delivering on our mandate to support the Seychelles economy both through tourism and trade.

“We remain committed to meeting these objectives in the months and years ahead, by building depth and scale into our network, organically and through partnerships, taking delivery of new aircraft, hiring more Seychellois, and bringing more guests and trade to the Seychelles.

“Air Seychelles will continue to focus on operational efficiencies, while maintaining a commitment to our guests to offer value, convenience and comfort, and being their airline of choice in the Indian Ocean region.”

At the end of Q1 2014, Air Seychelles’ combined passenger and cargo network stood at five destinations in the Seychelles, Africa, Europe and Asia.  The airline also has codeshare partnerships with airberlin, Cathay Pacific Airways, Etihad Airways, and South African Airways, extending its network to 39 cities around the world.

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Gibraltar seek Seychelles’ assistance in the establishment of a university

Gibraltar seek Seychelles’ assistance in the establishment of a university

Tue, 10 June 2014

President James Michel met with the Minister of Education of the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, Honourable Gilbert Licudi, this morning at State House.  Mr. Licudi and his delegation are in the country to seek assistance in the establishment of a University in Gibraltar.

“I am pleased that we can share our experiences of setting up the University of Seychelles with the government of Gibraltar, as we have many common challenges and needs to develop our economies. We can build partnerships and exchanges together which will increase the quality of education and ensure that  our young people have better access to high education,” said President Michel.

Speaking to the press after his meeting with the President, Minister Licudi said that they want to establish Gibraltar as a centre of excellence in education in the Mediterranean.  He said that there is already a School of Health offering undergraduate studies in Gibraltar, and they wish to incorporate that in the University. He added that they intend to partner with many universities as Seychelles has done.

“We are very glad to be have been extended an invitation to come Seychelles to speak to the people to set up the University, to speak to some government officials and the President….It’s a project which is on course by next year, and we want to know how it was done and how it will work in Gibraltar, because of the challenges that are particularly faced in a small place like Seychelles and Gibraltar… What Seychelles offers us is that fact that you’ve been through it, you’ve done it, you already got a fully-fledged established University and we want to know exactly how you did it so we can learn from you,“ said Mr. Licudi.

Editor’s note:

- The meeting was also attended by the Minister for Environment and Energy who is also the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Seychelles, Professor Rolph Payet, the Minister for Education,  Mrs. Macsuzy Mondon, British High Commissioner to Seychelles, Mrs. Lindsay Skoll, Vice Chancellor of the University of Seychelles, Professor Dennis Hardy, and Consultant to Minister Licudi, Dr Darren Fa.

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Seychelles and Kenya plan new partnerships in trade and investment

Seychelles and Kenya plan new partnerships in trade and investment

Tue, 10 June 2014

President James Michel met with the Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Amina Mohamed this morning at State House. Mrs. Mohamed is on an official visit to Seychelles, where she also met with other members of the Government, and also signed a General Cooperation agreement with the Government of Seychelles, providing the necessary framework for a joint commission.

During their meeting the President and the Cabinet Secretary discussed the visit of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta to Seychelles later this year.

“We have a great deal of issues to discuss including the ways to develop partnership for economic development, regional security, cultural exchanges as well as improve the air connectivity and trade between our two countries. We have many shared interests in the Indian Ocean, as neighbouring countries with a common vision for the blue economy, an African brand of tourism and close cooperation in defense and maritime security. I welcome the interest also from the Kenyan business community to increase trade and investment, with more business delegations planning visits to Seychelles,” said President Michel.

They also discussed areas in which Seychelles and Kenya can enhance their bilateral relations, such as in tourism, maritime safety, and the possibility of future trade and investment between the two countries, among others.

Speaking to the press after her meeting with President Michel, Mrs. Mohamed said that her visit to Seychelles was very fruitful, she noted that she was also accompanied by the National Chairman of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Kiprono Kittony, who has met with the Chairman of Commerce and Industry for Seychelles as well as various businessmen.

“We’ve brought along our Chairman from this Chamber. He has held very good talks with the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Seychelles, he has also met with businessmen and they have agreed on a number of steps that they will checking, an invitation for Kenyan businessmen and investors to visit Seychelles as well as two Seychellois investors and businessmen to visit Kenya. So it’s been a very fruitful and productive visit…  I think you will be seeing a lot more Kenyans coming to Seychelles and more Seychellois coming to Kenya,” said the Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

Editor’s note:
- The meeting was also attended by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jean-Paul Adam, the Chief Press Secretary in the Office of the President, Ms. Srdjana Janosevic, National Chairman of Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Kiprono Kittony, Africa Department Senior Assistant and Director of Foreign Services, Mr. Daniel Kottut,  Chief Information (Communication), Assistant Director of Foreign Services, Mrs. Jane Makori and Aide de Camp, Mr. Mohammed W. Juma .

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Commonwealth’s human rights team visit Seychelles

Commonwealth’s human rights team visit Seychelles

09-June-2014

Acting head of the Human Rights Division of the Commonwealth, Karen McKenzie and her team carried out a two-pronged capacity building  mission in Seychelles last week.

The June 3-6 working session objective was to share best practices with regard to the Paris Principles compliant national human rights institutions, and to hold constructive discussions with members of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Seychelles.

John Walters, Ombudsman of Namibia and Dheerujlall Seetulsingh, chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Mauritius, guided the discussions in this session. Both Mauritius and Namibia have institutions accredited at ‘A’ under the Paris Principles.

Discussions centered on the practicality and workability of hybrid National Human Rights Institution with a dual mandate namely, the Ombudsman and NHRC as well as one with a sole mandate in the context of small island developing states.

In addition, the stakeholders focused on platforms to enable current legislation in Seychelles to be compliant with Paris Principles. 

Seychelles duly expressed its will to ease the development of such legislation which would be beneficial to its overall human rights agenda.

During the work sessions, the Seychelles Human Rights Treaty Committee was tasked with  determining the roles and responsibilities to finalise the National Human Rights Action Plan. A validation workshop to that effect was accomplished in March 2013.

The Commonwealth delegation also comprised Cynthia Gervais, Human Rights Advisor to the Commonwealth Small States Office and Dr. Justin Pettit, project assistant at the Human Rights Division of the Commonwealth.

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es Seychelles mettent la problématique des PEID au cœur des débats du Mouvement Non-aligné

es Seychelles mettent la problématique des PEID au cœur des débats du Mouvement Non-aligné

30.05.2014

Dans l’esprit de la thématique, « Solidarité renforcée pour la paix et la prospérité » de la 17ème Conférence Internationale du Mouvement des Pays Non-alignés, à Alger, la délégation seychelloise a appelé le mouvement à appuyer la démarche des Petits Etats Insulaires en Développement (PEID) pour un traitement différencié en ce qui concerne leur développement, en reconnaissance de  leurs spécificités et vulnérabilités.

La délégation des Seychelles à la conférence est conduite par Jean-Paul Adam, Ministre des Affaires Etrangères et comprend l’Honorable André Pool, Vice- Président de l’Assemblé Nationale, et l’Ambassadeur Joseph Nourrice, Représentant Permanent des Seychelles auprès de l’Union Africaine.

Dans son intervention lors des débats, le Ministre Adam a souligné l’urgence de renforcer le cadre de soutien aux PEID :

« Au mois de septembre  prochain à Apia, Samoa,  aura lieu la Troisième Conférence internationale sur les Petits Etats insulaires en Développement : une occasion où les Seychelles comptent voir agir de nouveau la solidarité de notre Groupe, quand il s’agira de focaliser l’attention du monde sur les Petits Etats insulaires en Développement : notamment sur leurs spécificités, leur vulnérabilité, afin d’obtenir une reconnaissance effective de ce qui constitue leurs particularités et les besoins qui en découlent », a-t-il dit.

Il  a mis l’accent sur l’importance de la coopération inter- régionale en sécurité maritime et a souligné la contribution décisive des Seychelles dans la réduction de l’impact de la piraterie dans l’océan indien et dans la stabilisation de la Somalie, en partenariat avec la communauté internationale.

L’Economie Bleue était également au cœur de l’intervention du Ministre Adam et dans ce contexte il a estimé que ce concept était un outil indispensable non pas pour les PEID exclusivement, mais aussi pour tous les Etats qui dépendent de l’océan pour leur commerce, leur sécurité alimentaire et leurs ressources énergétiques, bref pour le bien être de l’humanité.

Il a sollicité l’appui du Mouvement pour mieux développer ce concept dans l’architecture du développement durable :

« À la conférence de Rio en 2012, l’importance de l’Economie verte, parallèlement à celle de l’Economie bleue avait été dégagée dans la perspective du développement durable. En tant que Petit Etat insulaire en Développement, l’Économie bleue représente pour les Seychelles en particulier, et pour l’ensemble des petits Etats insulaires en général, un atout majeur dont la préservation et la conservation ne sauraient que profiter à l’avenir de notre planète. Ici également, nous pensons qu’une solidarité renforcée à l’échelle globale s’impose», a-t-il conclu.

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Administrative Cooperation Agreement signed between Seychelles and Ghana for implementation of culmination provisions under the economic partnership agreement

Administrative Cooperation Agreement signed between Seychelles and Ghana for implementation of culmination provisions under the economic partnership agreement

02.06.2014

On the 20th May 2014, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Seychelles and of the Republic of Ghana signed an agreement on administrative cooperation (ACA) to fulfill the requirements for cumulation with ACP countries laid down under the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA). It is believed that this agreement between Ghana and Seychelles is the first of its kind to be signed by two ACP States – in view of satisfying the administrative requirements under their respective trading arrangements with the EU.

At the occasion, Hanna Serwaa TETTEH, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Ghana, explained: “We are able to enter in this administrative agreement because both our countries already have signed agreements with the EU. We have the same traceability system which allows us to identify from which vessel a specific consignment originated and we have the same sanitary standards that we have to upkeep, so really this agreement is beneficial to both sides as all the technical requirements are already in place” (source: J. Nicette & S. Uranie, “Ghana and Seychelles to ‘top-up’ each other’s tuna exports”, Seychelles News Agency, 20^th May 2014).

Speaking on the occasion, Jean-Paul ADAM, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Seychelles, said: “We welcome the initiative of ACP States as well as the ACP Secretariat to work on a joint instrument to allow cumulation with every other ACP country. However, Ghana and Seychelles felt the need for a prompt conclusion of an ACA between themselves to relieve their exporters of the uncertainty that the non-satisfaction of the crucial administrative requirements created when exporting to the EU. Indeed, we have acted in the interest of our industry.”

Whilst EPAs between the European Union (EU) and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) regions are still being negotiated in most of the ACP regions, several outstanding issues are common. For instance, the lack of flexibility of the EPAs has largely been criticized by EPA detractors in ACP countries – and elsewhere –, notably with regards to the application of the rules of origin. Amongst those criticisms, the issue of cumulation has been flagged because of the burdensome requirements on ACAs.

Although ACP countries hardly managed to fulfill the stringent administrative requirements laid down under EPAs, the need for ACP exporters to secure their supply chain, ensuring a predictable and reliable benefit from the EPA, has became a more and more sensitive matter, notably due to the progressive erosion of the preferences granted to ACP countries. In this light, the difficulty of concluding an ACA has been highlighted at many occasions by the ACP States.

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