Day: July 6, 2023

Kenya is faced with a triple burden of malnutrition, namely undernutrition (stunting, wasting, and underweight), micronutrient deficiencies, over-nutrition (overweight and obesity), and associated diet-related non-communicable diseases.

A recently released Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) 2022 estimated that 18 percent of children aged 6-59 months are still stunted, 10 percent are underweight, and 3 percent are overweight, way above the World Health Assembly targets.

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition in partnership with stakeholders from the Ministries of Agriculture, Health, and Trade in Kiambu County met to review the current food systems model and to develop a county-level report that would help inform decisions on food production and re-examine production and consumption systems and their linkages to diets, nutrition, and other development outcomes.

‘The food production and consumption patterns in Kenya have been greatly influenced by increased urbanization, economic growth, and subsequent changes in lifestyle, including a westernization of diet patterns characterized by increased consumption of processed, fatty, salty, sugary, and less nutritious foods. At the same time, traditional local nutritious foods that were once commonly consumed are now largely exported instead of being consumed locally.’

‘Recent data indicates, for example, that only 5.2 percent of adults aged 18-69 years in Kenya consume the WHO recommendation of five servings (400 grams) of fruits and/or vegetables per day. In Kenya, fruits are consumed, on average, 2.4 days a week, while vegetables are consumed five days a week. We believe that everyone should have access to nutritious, safe, and affordable food and we want to work to develop and deliver solutions to this daily change,’ said Ruth Okowa, GAIN country director.

The report would highlight strategies aimed at transforming food systems to make healthier diets accessible to all people, especially those who are most vulnerable e.g., children, such that by 2027 access to nutritionally enhanced staple foods and healthy diets would be greatly improved, and positive food system change seen in all counties.

‘Due to COVID-19, conflict in Ukraine, and climate change, malnutrition and hunger have worsened significantly since 2020, reversing a decade of progress. There is growing recognition that our food systems need to change if we are to reverse these trends,’ said Joseph Kamau, a public health officer in Kiambu County.

‘Because of the bold and complex nature of this plan, the only way it can be achieved is if we work together with partners like GAIN, farmers, businesses, and civil society at the county and national level. These goals, and the ways of achieving them, will transform people’s lives through effective policy changes,’ said Kamau.

Local food systems governance is a critical factor in the delivery of food systems transformation pathways in Kenya that comes with a lot of challenges.

To address these challenges, the Government of Kenya has developed a legislative and regulatory framework aimed at protecting and advancing good nutrition through innovative solutions that strengthen the country’s food supply chains and ultimately improve access to nutritious foods for its most vulnerable populations.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The patron of the 4K Club Paul Sumani today urged education stakeholders to motivate students to become future farmers by highlighting the potential opportunities in the sector, through fostering a positive perception as a viable and rewarding career choice.

While speaking today at the Nakuru Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) Showground, he said the aim of the 4K club which was founded in 1962, is to encourage young people to change their mindset and join agribusiness as a worthwhile career.

He regretted that the negative perception of farming has persisted for far too long, and yet there’s no doubt that the future milliners of the world will be those willing to join agribusiness.

Sumani said the 4k-Club is equipped to teach students about sustainable and modern farming techniques adding agriculture was currently more profitable than the elusive white-collar jobs.

He commended Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who candidly informed the granduads of Jomo Kenyatta University that the government has no jobs for them, and encouraged them to choose farming as a full-time career.

The patron said the optimum and most favorable inspiration that primary and secondary schools ought to be organizing for their learners is connecting them to successful farmers or agricultural entrepreneurs who can serve as mentors.

He emphasized the importance of promoting the concept of agribusiness in schools in order to encourage young minds to think creatively and develop innovative farming solutions that address local challenges.

Also, he said the current food shortage in the country was an opportune moment for county governments and companies to provide resources and support for students interested in starting their own agricultural ventures so as to showcase the potential in the sector.

Additionally, he said the introduction of scholarships for students pursuing agricultural studies or careers can assist alleviate the financial burden and make farming a more attractive option.

Sumani observed that engaging students in community service projects related to agriculture, such as setting up community gardens, promoting ecological farming practices, and volunteering at cooperative societies, was doable and would actively encourage learners to participate in agricultural activities.

The quarter plot allocated to the 4k club at the ongoing preparation of the Nakuru ASK showground has incorporated a wide variety of vegetables and herbs that have made local farmers financially stable.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Migori small-scale entrepreneurs have received Sh.1.06 million from Poverty Eradication Fund (PEF) to help eradicate poverty through initiating income-generating activities.

Migori County Director of Social Development Eliud Ondara said that the national government fund will benefit nine youth and women groups in the Suna sub-counties to help improve their livelihoods.

Ondara explained that the benefiting groups received between Sh. 80,000 and Sh. 150,000 to help them empower themselves through self-sustaining projects that can generate income for members.

The official urged the beneficiaries to be committed, transparent, and trustworthy and repay the loan in time to increase their loan limits and help others access the funds.

The PEF loan interest is capped at eight percent with a grace period of between one to three months to give the borrower enough time to start repaying their loans.

‘Due to the nature of the funds we have given the borrowers a one-month grace period and a subsequent one-year repayment plan with an interest of eight percent paid once’, noted Ondara.

He called upon the local residents to register with the Social Development Department and establish a table banking system for ease of access to the funds.

Migori County Deputy Commissioner Benson Karani said that the funds will empower various business groups in the county in an effort to eradicate poverty.

Karani revealed that the PEF will help the beneficiaries to focus on income-generating activities meant to fight poverty by promoting income generation on an individual basis within the groups.

The administrator added already the national government through various directorates has educated the groups on various ways of investing the fund.

‘Majority of business groups in the country have been trained on various avenues of investment with the aim of increasing productivity and boosting our economy,’ explained Karani.

Edwin Obara a beneficiary of the fund expressed his delight at the revival of the funds that will give a chance for youths to engage in meaningful developmental projects.

Obara however called upon the government to sensitize the public more and encourage the youths to apply and access the funds for economic empowerment.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The government is determined to improve tea sector productivity and earnings for local smallholder farmers who have remained at the bottom of the pyramid despite tea being one of the largest foreign exchange earners in the country.

Speaking Thursday morning during the official opening of the Tea Reforms Conference in Kericho, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was concerned that small scale tea farmers had no power to determine the price yet tea was a much-sought commodity across the globe even when sold in raw form.

The DP further observed that the small-scale farmers struggled economically yet they are the ones who invest much of their resources, efforts and time into production of the precious commodity.

‘In spite of Kenya producing distinct flavours of tea, the market does not have the best interest of the farmer, and in this conference, we need to explore lasting legal policy administrative and operational strategy that will return the tea money to where it belongs, to the farmer,’ stressed Gachagua.

He promised the stakeholders at the tea conference that the government will adopt the reforms agreed on at the forum.

The Deputy President also mentioned that tea has been posting positive results despite uncertainties in major markets like Russia and Pakistan adding that the price of 100 kilograms of tea increased to Sh29,000 in 2022 from Sh23,000 the previous year, an increase of Sh294 per kilo.

The DP pointed out that the international market size for tea remained healthy and was projected to grow by up to 6.7 percent by 2031, exceeding USD 93.2 billion, as consumption of black tea alone which Kenya produces most is expected to grow by over 2% in the next decade.

Meanwhile Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi who also graced the first day of the tea reforms conference assured that the Government would put interventions to ensure farmers get better prices for tea and an increase in production.

The two-day conference being held at the Kericho Golf Club seeks to consolidate views from stakeholders on tea reforms around production, processing, marketing, sales and governance in order to address the bottlenecks that hindered small holder farmers from prospering despite their commodity competing favourable at the global market.

Other leaders present at the forum include Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Kericho County Dr Eric Mutai, Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot, among other dignitaries from Kericho and guests from other counties.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The European Union (EU) and Seychelles have strong, longstanding diplomatic relations, especially as Seychelles has close historical ties to the EU member state France, given the island nation was first a French colony in the 1700s and its cultural and linguistic roots form part of the Creole nation today, which also has African, Chinese and Indian ancestry.

In modern times, the EU has become one of Seychelles’ main partners in the fields of political, economic and trade as well as development cooperation. This also includes cooperation in maritime security, such as the fight against piracy, illegal drugs and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and the two partners share important trade agreements particularly in the fisheries sector.

The EU divides its relations with Seychelles into several categories; political, economic and trade, fisheries, environmental protection and climate trade, as well as promoting human rights, gender equality and good governance, according to the EU’s official website.

In October 2019, the Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Seychelles, Vincent Degert, was accredited and since then has witnessed important changes taking place in the island nation as well as the impact of COVID-19.

Degert is making his last official visit to the island nation as he completes his mission in Seychelles and Mauritius and shares his thoughts with SNA on the events that took place during his mandate.

SNA: Ambassador Vincent Degert, you will be completing your mandate as the European Union Ambassador to Seychelles and Mauritius in July, what do you believe have been the most important points of progress in EU-Seychelles relations since 2019, when you were accredited?

VD: Well, let me say from the outset that the EU and Seychelles have built solid diplomatic, political and economic ties based on trust and shared values. We remain Seychelles’ main trade partner, the main provider of foreign direct investment and tourists.

Despite the challenges that have marked my mandate, first, the coronavirus pandemic and then the consequences of the aggression of Ukraine by Russia, these four years have allowed us to achieve a number of key results.

In October 2021, the EU removed Seychelles from its official list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions in recognition of Seychelles’ commitment to promoting tax good governance. Thanks to our solid relations, we have also been able to secure a grant of €2 million for the period 2021-2027, something that would not normally be possible as Seychelles has a high-income country status.

We have also strengthened our cooperation in the area of sustainable fisheries with the successful negotiation of a new Fisheries Agreement, the inauguration of several facilities for artisanal fishers as well as the successful organisation of the first BlueInvest event outside Europe, BlueInvest Africa that Seychelles hosted in September 2022.

We have also strengthened our cooperation in maritime security, an area where the EU and Seychelles clearly have a common interest, notably to address the scourge of drug trafficking in the context of the EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta broadened mandate.

Finally, the EU and Seychelles, together with four other countries in Eastern Africa, have launched negotiations for a renewed trade agreement, the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). The implementation of the current EPA has been accompanied by very significant support to improve the ease of doing business through digitalisation and diversify the economy – notably in aquaculture – an even more important objective as highlighted by the supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SNA: What is your favourite memory of Seychelles that has marked your term as ambassador?

VD: Without any hesitation, the dive with the members of OceanCleanup Project Seychelles during our first EUBeachCleanup action in Seychelles in October 2021. I am a passionate diver and it was amazing to discover the wonders of Seychelles’ marine environment and sea life with four Seychellois divers. It was a great experience! I understand why tourists agree to travel several hours to discover your beautiful country!

SNA: You have seen Seychelles’ achievements and weaknesses over the last few years, how would you describe them and what do you believe needs to be done to address the weaknesses at a national level?

VD: I think that Seychelles’ role as a champion for ocean protection is widely known. For the EU, this is important as we share with Seychelles a real concern for ocean governance – to ensure safer and healthier oceans for all. It is also in recognition of this important role that we have decided to organise the first BlueInvest event outside Europe in Seychelles.

In the framework of our strategic approach in the Indo-Pacific region, one of our key objectives is to take forward action to strengthen ocean governance in full compliance with international law, in particular, UNCLOS, and to ensure the sustainable management of the ocean’s resources while safeguarding biodiversity.

I believe that in the context of our cooperation with Seychelles in the area of sustainable fisheries and maritime security, we are contributing to this objective. In general, I would say that Seychelles’ comprehensive action for environmental protection is widely recognised. I am thinking of some emblematic actions that Seychelles is implementing such as the conservation programmes on the Aldabra Atoll and in the Vallée de Mai.

Seychelles, like all of us over the world, has to face a number of challenges be it climate change, biodiversity loss, vulnerability to pandemics as well as gender inequalities. On this front, we have supported the elaboration of the first National Gender Country Profile – that I had the opportunity to hand over to the Minister for Youth, Sports and Family in the margin of the Political Dialogue in October 2022. The expert Janick Bru has identified a number of challenges including those concerning domestic violence. She has made several recommendations that I hope can be implemented in order to promote gender equality.

I also hope that we can further enhance our partnership with Seychelles in the area of maritime security in particular against drug trafficking in order that drug seizures undertaken at sea result in traffickers being held accountable.

We will continue to work closely with Seychelles in this area as well as in other important areas to build resilience to climate change, food and health crises as well as support economic growth and promote human rights. The EU will remain a reliable partner for the Republic of Seychelles.

SNA: Maritime security is of great concern to Seychelles today, especially in the face of persistent illegal drug trafficking. Will the EU’s ATALANTA maritime operation continue to provide support to Seychelles in maritime security and anti-piracy efforts in the coming years or is there talk of closing this programme down?

VD: Maritime security is indeed a great concern for Seychelles and countries of the region; it is also for the European Union. In December 2022, the mandate of EU Naval Force Operation ATALANTA has been extended for another two years. It will now run until December 31, 2024. Since its establishment in late 2008, in response to the rising levels of piracy in the Western Indian Ocean, Operation ATALANTA has significantly contributed to the repression of piracy.

In 2020, its mandate was broadened to some secondary executive tasks of countering the trafficking of weapons and narcotic drugs and non-executive tasks of monitoring illegal activities at sea including illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Since the start, EUNAVFOR has been working in close cooperation with Seychelles and has undertaken several port calls in Victoria.

I even remember that in May last year, we celebrated Europe Day on board the frigate Le Floréal. In December 2021, EUNAVFOR, the Regional Centre for Operational Coordination (RCOC) in Seychelles and the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre (RMIFC) in Madagascar signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance cooperation for the coordination of maritime security operations and foster maritime information exchange.

Ambassador Degert (right) welcomed President Ramkalawan on ‘Le Floreal’ frigate in May 2022. (Seychelles Nation) Photo License: CC-BY

EUNAVFOR Atalanta and both regional centres conducted their first joint operation, named MARLIN, in September last year in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Seychelles. The joint operation, focused on combatting drug trafficking and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing), made it possible to detect and monitor more than 20 vessels in an area of about 150,000 square kilometres thanks to the information provided by the air assets deployed by the EU and Seychelles.

More recently, thanks to the information provided by the RCOC, the Seychelles Coast Guard seized one tonne of drugs during an operation at sea implemented with EU financial support through the MASE programme. I would also like to add that one of the major successes of the EU-Seychelles partnership is that we have agreed to tackle the issue of drugs and arms trafficking in this region through the establishment of a legal finish. It means that criminals apprehended at sea by EUNAVFOR can be transferred to the Attorney General for prosecution to face justice in Seychelles’ courts.

We have managed to finalise an Exchange of Letters following fruitful discussions with the government that would extend the legal finish from piracy to cover also drugs and arms trafficking with the support of EU Member States participating in Operation ATALANTA.

Seychelles is acting as a pioneer in promoting maritime security in this region and this is highly commendable. We hope that the lead role played by Seychelles will help to bring other countries of the region to reinforce the regional maritime security architecture in order to address the scourge of drug trafficking that is negatively impacting the socio-economic fabric of many countries in this region.

SNA: The topic of sustainable tuna fisheries is high on the agenda in the western Indian Ocean region, where the European Union is a major stakeholder through the private purse seiner companies of its member countries that fish in these waters, namely French and Spanish. As a diplomat who works to protect the interests of the EU, but at the same time is aware of the environmental impacts of fish aggregating devices (FADS), have you ever found yourself in an ethical conflict in choosing between the economic needs of the EU companies and that of detrimental effects of industrial fishing in Seychelles?

VD: Thank you for your question which allows me to clarify a number of sensitive issues. The possibility for EU vessels to fish in Seychelles waters is governed by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement that we negotiate and sign with the government of Seychelles. As part of the fisheries agreement, EU fishing vessels have obligations. This means that all the operations of the EU fleet are legal, reported and subject to control.

As regards conservation measures including those related to fish aggregating devices (FADs), the current EU-Seychelles Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement provides that in order to reduce the entanglement of sharks, marine turtles, or any other non-targeted species, the EU vessels shall use non-entangling designs and materials in the construction of FADs. In addition, to reduce the impact of FADs on the ecosystem and the amount of synthetic marine debris, the EU vessels shall use natural or biodegradable materials for FADs and retrieve them in the Seychelles waters when they become non-operational FADs within the modalities of the Seychelles legislation.

One of the latest projects that Degert and President Ramkalawan inaugurated was the Baie Ste Anne Praslin fish market and other facilities. (Romano Laurence) Photo License: CC-BY

Actually, the fisheries agreement includes a specific provision for a dedicated marine environmental fund to which purse seine ship-owners should contribute. This fund, which is managed by the Seychelles authorities, is used for the collection of abandoned FADs drifting in the Seychelles EEZ. We have for instance partly funded the first Fish Aggregating Devices clean-up exercise mission in October last year.

Also, I wish to underline that, at the IOTC, the EU has tabled a comprehensive and stringent proposal to manage the drifting FADs that – had it been adopted – would have represented one of the most advanced texts ever adopted by a Regional Fishery Management Organisation. The adoption of this proposal would have substantially increased the sustainability of FAD fishery by reducing the number of FADs deployed to a level never even discussed in any other oceans, enforcing the use of biodegradable FADs and introducing the basis for traceability in the use of FADs. Unfortunately, the proposal was blocked by a few countries. However, we will not be discouraged and we will continue to work in order to convince that this is a step forward in the interest of all participating countries.

SNA: Has the European Union been monitoring the local press complaints concerning freedom of speech and expression as well as Seychelles’ decline in the Reporters Without Borders ranking and how do you believe this issue within a democracy is best addressed?

VD: Freedom of the media is vital for democracy and is a priority of our internal policies and our external action. Here in Seychelles for instance, we support the Human Rights Commission for the organisation of sensitisation actions for the media.

We have also started to work in a new area that is attracting more and more attention at the global level – the fight against disinformation. In December 2022, the EU Cyber4Dev project organised a two-day training on ‘Understanding and Fighting Disinformation in a Democratic Society’ to promote media literacy.

As regards Seychelles ranking in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders, we read the statement released by the State House expressing disappointment with this ranking and calling media practitioners to – allow me to quote – “do their best to achieve the highest standards possible in journalism by promoting the truth while abiding by the utmost ethical standards.”

I trust and I know that the government is and will remain fully committed to maintain and implement those highest standards. Media freedom and media pluralism are essential to our democracies and are enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. We will therefore continue to promote it every time and everywhere.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

During a ceremony Thursday at the Carthage Palace, President of the Republic, Kais Saied, handed the credentials to four new ambassadors.

They are :

Farhed Khelif, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Tunisia to Qatar.

Wassef Chiha, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Tunisia to Germany.

Sahbi Khalfallah, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Tunisia to Belgium.

Adel Arbi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Tunisia to China.

During this ceremony, the new ambassadors were sworn in before the Head of State, in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Nabil Ammar.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

The bureau of the parliament on Thursday called for support for the steps taken by the Palestinians and the international community to try Israel for crimes against humanity in view of the atrocities committed against the Palestinian people, in blatant violation of international conventions and standards.

In a statement issued at the end of its meeting, the bureau of the Assembly of People’s Representatives (ARP) urged all regional and international parliaments to condemn the criminal acts of the Zionist entity and to take urgent action to put an end to the terrorism practised by the occupier and its serious consequences for peace and security in the region.

The parliament denounces a heinous crime committed by the Israeli occupation forces in the Jenin refugee camp, which did not spare the medical teams on the spot, causing several martyrs and injuries. It also condemns the destruction of public and private property and the abusive arrests carried out in the aftermath.

In its press release, the ARP hailed the resilience of the Palestinian people in the face of oppression, reaffirming its support for the just Palestinian cause and the fight to recover legitimate Palestinian rights.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Justice Minister Leila Jaffel convened on Thursday at the ministry headquarters with Public Prosecutor of the Sfax Court of Appeal Hafedh Bouassida, Public Prosecutor of the Sfax First Instance Court Faouzi Masmoudi, and Public Prosecutor of the Sfax 2 First Instance Court Hichem Ksibi.

The meeting reviewed the proper functioning of the public prosecution in the region and its role in combating corruption, smuggling, and dismantling networks involved in irregular migration.

The minister emphasised the necessity of enforcing the law while ensuring full respect for the principles of equality and human rights, said a Ministry statement.

She also stressed the imperative of taking all necessary measures to combat any form of organised crime as well as any crime aimed at undermining national security.

Furthermore, the minister commended the efforts made by legal and administrative personnel and authorised the implementation of a specialised programme aimed at improving working conditions in the courts of Sfax.

On Tuesday, the public prosecution at the Sfax First Instance Court ordered the arrest of three Sub-Saharan migrants suspected of the murder of Tunisian man in Sfax. The victim was stabbed on Monday night by a Sub-Saharan migrant. A fourth suspect is on the run in connection with the same case.

On Monday, the prosecutor’s office ordered the detention of 34 Sub-Saharan migrants for undocumented entry into Tunisian territory and irregular stay, following violent clashes on Sunday evening in Sfax between residents of certain neighbourhoods and Sub-Saharan migrants.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

The European Union (EU) and Seychelles have strong, longstanding diplomatic relations, especially as Seychelles has close historical ties to the EU member state France, given the island nation was first a French colony in the 1700s and its cultural and linguistic roots form part of the Creole nation today, which also has African, Chinese and Indian ancestry.

In modern times, the EU has become one of Seychelles’ main partners in the fields of political, economic and trade as well as development cooperation. This also includes cooperation in maritime security, such as the fight against piracy, illegal drugs and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and the two partners share important trade agreements particularly in the fisheries sector.

The EU divides its relations with Seychelles into several categories; political, economic and trade, fisheries, environmental protection and climate trade, as well as promoting human rights, gender equality and good governance, according to the EU’s official website.

In October 2019, the Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Seychelles, Vincent Degert, was accredited and since then has witnessed important changes taking place in the island nation as well as the impact of COVID-19.

Degert is making his last official visit to the island nation as he completes his mission in Seychelles and Mauritius and shares his thoughts with SNA on the events that took place during his mandate.

SNA: Ambassador Vincent Degert, you will be completing your mandate as the European Union Ambassador to Seychelles and Mauritius in July, what do you believe have been the most important points of progress in EU-Seychelles relations since 2019, when you were accredited?

VD: Well, let me say from the outset that the EU and Seychelles have built solid diplomatic, political and economic ties based on trust and shared values. We remain Seychelles’ main trade partner, the main provider of foreign direct investment and tourists.

Despite the challenges that have marked my mandate, first, the coronavirus pandemic and then the consequences of the aggression of Ukraine by Russia, these four years have allowed us to achieve a number of key results.

In October 2021, the EU removed Seychelles from its official list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions in recognition of Seychelles’ commitment to promoting tax good governance. Thanks to our solid relations, we have also been able to secure a grant of €2 million for the period 2021-2027, something that would not normally be possible as Seychelles has a high-income country status.

We have also strengthened our cooperation in the area of sustainable fisheries with the successful negotiation of a new Fisheries Agreement, the inauguration of several facilities for artisanal fishers as well as the successful organisation of the first BlueInvest event outside Europe, BlueInvest Africa that Seychelles hosted in September 2022.

We have also strengthened our cooperation in maritime security, an area where the EU and Seychelles clearly have a common interest, notably to address the scourge of drug trafficking in the context of the EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta broadened mandate.

Finally, the EU and Seychelles, together with four other countries in Eastern Africa, have launched negotiations for a renewed trade agreement, the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). The implementation of the current EPA has been accompanied by very significant support to improve the ease of doing business through digitalisation and diversify the economy – notably in aquaculture – an even more important objective as highlighted by the supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SNA: What is your favourite memory of Seychelles that has marked your term as ambassador?

VD: Without any hesitation, the dive with the members of OceanCleanup Project Seychelles during our first EUBeachCleanup action in Seychelles in October 2021. I am a passionate diver and it was amazing to discover the wonders of Seychelles’ marine environment and sea life with four Seychellois divers. It was a great experience! I understand why tourists agree to travel several hours to discover your beautiful country!

SNA: You have seen Seychelles’ achievements and weaknesses over the last few years, how would you describe them and what do you believe needs to be done to address the weaknesses at a national level?

VD: I think that Seychelles’ role as a champion for ocean protection is widely known. For the EU, this is important as we share with Seychelles a real concern for ocean governance – to ensure safer and healthier oceans for all. It is also in recognition of this important role that we have decided to organise the first BlueInvest event outside Europe in Seychelles.

In the framework of our strategic approach in the Indo-Pacific region, one of our key objectives is to take forward action to strengthen ocean governance in full compliance with international law, in particular, UNCLOS, and to ensure the sustainable management of the ocean’s resources while safeguarding biodiversity.

I believe that in the context of our cooperation with Seychelles in the area of sustainable fisheries and maritime security, we are contributing to this objective. In general, I would say that Seychelles’ comprehensive action for environmental protection is widely recognised. I am thinking of some emblematic actions that Seychelles is implementing such as the conservation programmes on the Aldabra Atoll and in the Vallée de Mai.

Seychelles, like all of us over the world, has to face a number of challenges be it climate change, biodiversity loss, vulnerability to pandemics as well as gender inequalities. On this front, we have supported the elaboration of the first National Gender Country Profile – that I had the opportunity to hand over to the Minister for Youth, Sports and Family in the margin of the Political Dialogue in October 2022. The expert Janick Bru has identified a number of challenges including those concerning domestic violence. She has made several recommendations that I hope can be implemented in order to promote gender equality.

I also hope that we can further enhance our partnership with Seychelles in the area of maritime security in particular against drug trafficking in order that drug seizures undertaken at sea result in traffickers being held accountable.

We will continue to work closely with Seychelles in this area as well as in other important areas to build resilience to climate change, food and health crises as well as support economic growth and promote human rights. The EU will remain a reliable partner for the Republic of Seychelles.

SNA: Maritime security is of great concern to Seychelles today, especially in the face of persistent illegal drug trafficking. Will the EU’s ATALANTA maritime operation continue to provide support to Seychelles in maritime security and anti-piracy efforts in the coming years or is there talk of closing this programme down?

VD: Maritime security is indeed a great concern for Seychelles and countries of the region; it is also for the European Union. In December 2022, the mandate of EU Naval Force Operation ATALANTA has been extended for another two years. It will now run until December 31, 2024. Since its establishment in late 2008, in response to the rising levels of piracy in the Western Indian Ocean, Operation ATALANTA has significantly contributed to the repression of piracy.

In 2020, its mandate was broadened to some secondary executive tasks of countering the trafficking of weapons and narcotic drugs and non-executive tasks of monitoring illegal activities at sea including illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Since the start, EUNAVFOR has been working in close cooperation with Seychelles and has undertaken several port calls in Victoria.

I even remember that in May last year, we celebrated Europe Day on board the frigate Le Floréal. In December 2021, EUNAVFOR, the Regional Centre for Operational Coordination (RCOC) in Seychelles and the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre (RMIFC) in Madagascar signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance cooperation for the coordination of maritime security operations and foster maritime information exchange.

Ambassador Degert (right) welcomed President Ramkalawan on ‘Le Floreal’ frigate in May 2022. (Seychelles Nation) Photo License: CC-BY

EUNAVFOR Atalanta and both regional centres conducted their first joint operation, named MARLIN, in September last year in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Seychelles. The joint operation, focused on combatting drug trafficking and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing), made it possible to detect and monitor more than 20 vessels in an area of about 150,000 square kilometres thanks to the information provided by the air assets deployed by the EU and Seychelles.

More recently, thanks to the information provided by the RCOC, the Seychelles Coast Guard seized one tonne of drugs during an operation at sea implemented with EU financial support through the MASE programme. I would also like to add that one of the major successes of the EU-Seychelles partnership is that we have agreed to tackle the issue of drugs and arms trafficking in this region through the establishment of a legal finish. It means that criminals apprehended at sea by EUNAVFOR can be transferred to the Attorney General for prosecution to face justice in Seychelles’ courts.

We have managed to finalise an Exchange of Letters following fruitful discussions with the government that would extend the legal finish from piracy to cover also drugs and arms trafficking with the support of EU Member States participating in Operation ATALANTA.

Seychelles is acting as a pioneer in promoting maritime security in this region and this is highly commendable. We hope that the lead role played by Seychelles will help to bring other countries of the region to reinforce the regional maritime security architecture in order to address the scourge of drug trafficking that is negatively impacting the socio-economic fabric of many countries in this region.

SNA: The topic of sustainable tuna fisheries is high on the agenda in the western Indian Ocean region, where the European Union is a major stakeholder through the private purse seiner companies of its member countries that fish in these waters, namely French and Spanish. As a diplomat who works to protect the interests of the EU, but at the same time is aware of the environmental impacts of fish aggregating devices (FADS), have you ever found yourself in an ethical conflict in choosing between the economic needs of the EU companies and that of detrimental effects of industrial fishing in Seychelles?

VD: Thank you for your question which allows me to clarify a number of sensitive issues. The possibility for EU vessels to fish in Seychelles waters is governed by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement that we negotiate and sign with the government of Seychelles. As part of the fisheries agreement, EU fishing vessels have obligations. This means that all the operations of the EU fleet are legal, reported and subject to control.

As regards conservation measures including those related to fish aggregating devices (FADs), the current EU-Seychelles Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement provides that in order to reduce the entanglement of sharks, marine turtles, or any other non-targeted species, the EU vessels shall use non-entangling designs and materials in the construction of FADs. In addition, to reduce the impact of FADs on the ecosystem and the amount of synthetic marine debris, the EU vessels shall use natural or biodegradable materials for FADs and retrieve them in the Seychelles waters when they become non-operational FADs within the modalities of the Seychelles legislation.

One of the latest projects that Degert and President Ramkalawan inaugurated was the Baie Ste Anne Praslin fish market and other facilities. (Romano Laurence) Photo License: CC-BY

Actually, the fisheries agreement includes a specific provision for a dedicated marine environmental fund to which purse seine ship-owners should contribute. This fund, which is managed by the Seychelles authorities, is used for the collection of abandoned FADs drifting in the Seychelles EEZ. We have for instance partly funded the first Fish Aggregating Devices clean-up exercise mission in October last year.

Also, I wish to underline that, at the IOTC, the EU has tabled a comprehensive and stringent proposal to manage the drifting FADs that – had it been adopted – would have represented one of the most advanced texts ever adopted by a Regional Fishery Management Organisation. The adoption of this proposal would have substantially increased the sustainability of FAD fishery by reducing the number of FADs deployed to a level never even discussed in any other oceans, enforcing the use of biodegradable FADs and introducing the basis for traceability in the use of FADs. Unfortunately, the proposal was blocked by a few countries. However, we will not be discouraged and we will continue to work in order to convince that this is a step forward in the interest of all participating countries.

SNA: Has the European Union been monitoring the local press complaints concerning freedom of speech and expression as well as Seychelles’ decline in the Reporters Without Borders ranking and how do you believe this issue within a democracy is best addressed?

VD: Freedom of the media is vital for democracy and is a priority of our internal policies and our external action. Here in Seychelles for instance, we support the Human Rights Commission for the organisation of sensitisation actions for the media.

We have also started to work in a new area that is attracting more and more attention at the global level – the fight against disinformation. In December 2022, the EU Cyber4Dev project organised a two-day training on ‘Understanding and Fighting Disinformation in a Democratic Society’ to promote media literacy.

As regards Seychelles ranking in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders, we read the statement released by the State House expressing disappointment with this ranking and calling media practitioners to – allow me to quote – “do their best to achieve the highest standards possible in journalism by promoting the truth while abiding by the utmost ethical standards.”

I trust and I know that the government is and will remain fully committed to maintain and implement those highest standards. Media freedom and media pluralism are essential to our democracies and are enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. We will therefore continue to promote it every time and everywhere.

Source: Seychelles News Agency