An agricultural sector that is supported and functioning well plays a crucial role in ensuring food security in Seychelles and helps reduce the reliance on importation, said the Seychelles Farmers' Association chairperson. Andre Sopha, from Praslin, the second largest island of the Seychelles archipelago, has been the chairperson of the Association for six years. Sopha has been a farmer for 18 years and specialises mainly in livestock and fruits. He has served two mandates and told SNA that this will be his last and that election for the new chairperson and executive committee are expected to be held this year. The Seychelles Farmers' Association set up in the early 2000, has over 110 members from the three main islands of Seychelles, Mahe, Praslin and La Digue. Around 40 farmers are from Praslin. With the high demands for produce from the population and the tourism industry, there is a need to increase agricultural production and sustainable agriculture. Sopha said, «We have undertaken major climate adaptation projects in two educational institutions namely the Grand Anse Praslin Secondary School and the Seychelles Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture (SIAH). The two projects are doing very well. Both projects have been funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) - Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP).» The chairperson said that the Association has received 12 greenhouses, 10 are for farmers across the three main islands, one at Grand Anse Praslin Secondary School and the other at SIAH. The Association will also have solar water pumps and machines they can use to make value-added products for example, if farmers have excess oranges on their farms, they can use one of these machines to make a value-added product with these fruits. The Association's board will be holding a meeting to discuss which farms will benefit from these and a few elements will need to be taken into account including being up to date with their membership contribution. The equipment will not be given free of charge and those who will receive it will have to make a small contribution as well. Sopha (1st left) with the Seychelles' delegation at an international conference. (Andre Sopha) Photo License: All Rights Reserved    Challenges farmers face Sopha said, «Farms do suffer a lot during drought periods. So we hope to have a project at Amitie to help with this issue. We also face several other challenges such as a lack of resources for us to work with such as pesticides and fertilisers, which can impact our work and productivity.» He said the Association is working to ensure that there is an availability of resources for farmers to work with and one of them is land needed for farming. «Land is also an issue because we have individuals who want to start their farming business but cannot do so as plots of agricultural land are occupied by some farmers who are not being productive. We are working closely with the government to see how best we can address this issue whereby those interested in venturing into farming can do so by accessing a plot of agricultural land,» the chairperson explained. Giving knowledge and skills One of the aims of the Association is to ensure that its members are given new knowledge and skills to help them improve their businesses. «We bring in experts in respective fields to equip farmers with the latest information or skills on different elements such as fertiliser and how to measure acidity or humidity in the soil,» Sopha explained. He said the Association wants a vibrant and productive agricultural sector and that there is a need to see it as an important sector that is making a great contribution to Seychelles. Encouraging the youth to venture into agriculture To ensure that the agricultural sector remains sustainable for the years to come there is also a move to include more young people. To encourage young people to join the agricultural sector, Sopha said the Association is bringing in the use of technology in agriculture. «The world is evolving and so must agriculture. We have chosen two schools to work with because our young people are based there. At Grand Anse Praslin Secondary we have a rotavator which we have placed there for a period of time for the students to use, and have installed a new irrigation system that you only press a button and it waters the plants,» he shared.  «This is to encourage the youths not just to take up farming but to make them realise that even in agriculture there is evolution, to see that new technology exists within this sector, and the tiring ways of farming can be replaced by smart work,» he added. «We need to have good incentives and proper educational awareness on agriculture so that this young generation can take an interest in this field. So we need to find innovative ways to encourage our young people to continue developing our agricultural sector because we want to ensure food security and successful production in the future,» Sopha said. «I meet the authorities often but we need to see more actions being done and to hear the concerns of the farmers working on the ground. Farmers need to be part and parcel of decisions made which concern and heavily impact their work,» he added. 

Students from the Seychelles Institute of Technology (SIT) will have the opportunity to pursue career opportunities and able to earn work-based experience within hotels under the Hilton brand, through a newly signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) The MOU was signed on Monday between the Institute and Hilton Seychelles by Vinesh Hurrychurn, senior director of engineering operations from Hilton and the Institute's director, Ferdinand Desnousse.   Through the agreement, Hilton-managed hotels in Seychelles and the SIT will collaborate in the Technical and Vocational Education & Training (TVET) sector, with a particular focus on engineering operations within the hospitality industry. «This agreement is huge for SIT, as students, particularly in the engineering fields will be able to gain valuable experience by working at these hotels in Seychelles, where those who perform well, could even be granted opportunities to work at other Hilton-managed hotels in the region,» said Desnousse. The agreement will see the two entities collaborate and implement educational training programmes in accordance with the curriculum provided by SIT. It will also ensure the alignment with both the Institute and international standards to facilitate the professional development of individuals in the hospitality sector. The MOU will also present opportunities to plan and conduct events, including career guidance workshops and job fairs, to improve employability within engineering operations in the hospitality sector. It will also allow the exploration of opportunities for Hilton to support SIT in creating innovative approaches to student development. According to Hilton, who manage six hotels in Seychelles, the collaboration will also encourage qualified SIT students to pursue careers in the hospitality industry by offering internships and employment opportunities at Hilton. Subject to availability, this will strengthen the students' readiness for leadership roles in engineering and implement targeted programs to promote inclusion and diversity within engineering operations in the hospitality sector. This is the first MOU of its kind to be signed with a hotel, while the SIT has agreements with other local companies, to allow students to gain work experience there. The Seychelles Institute of Technology is a technical and vocational education and training institution set up in 2015 under the aegis of the Ministry of Education. At the moment, SIT offers students programmes ranging from certificate to advanced diploma level, in areas such as mechanical engineering, telecommunications, information technology, and automotive engineering, among others.

Israel's main union on Sunday ordered a nationwide general strike after soldiers recovered the bodies of six dead hostages from the Gaza Strip where the military is battling Palestinian militants. The remains of the six were recovered Saturday «from an underground tunnel in the Rafah area» in southern Gaza, the military said. They were among 251 hostages seized during Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel that triggered the ongoing war, 97 of whom remain captive in Gaza including 33 the army says are dead. Scores were released during a negotiated one-week truce in November, but relatives of those still held believe not enough is being done to free them. Campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said a negotiated «deal for the return of the hostages» was urgently needed. «Were it not for the delays, sabotage and excuses» in months of mediation efforts, the six hostages «would likely still be alive», a statement said. The families called for a nationwide general strike to force the government to reach a deal to secure the release of the remaining captives. Shortly afterwards, the head of Israel's powerful Histadrut trade union ordered a «complete strike» for Monday in support of the hostages. - 'Complete strike' - «I have come to the conclusion that only our intervention can shake those who need to be shaken,» Histadrut chairman Arnon bar David said in a statement. «Starting tomorrow at six in the morning, the entire Israeli economy will go on complete strike.» «A deal is not progressing due to political considerations and this is unacceptable.» The six hostages were named as Carmel Gat, taken from a kibbutz community near the Gaza border, and Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, US-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin and Russian-Israeli Alexander Lobanov -- all seized by Palestinian militants from a music festival site. Military spokesman Daniel Hagari said all six «were abducted alive on the morning of October 7» and «brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them». Qatar-based Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq said the six were «killed by Zionist (Israeli) bombing», an accusation the military denied. A senior Hamas official told AFP on condition of anonymity that «some» of the six had been «approved» for release in a potential hostage-prisoner swap as part of a deal yet to be agreed. Critics in Israel have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prolonging the war for political gain. Netanyahu told Lobanov's parents on Sunday: «I would like to tell you how much I regret and request forgiveness for not succeeding in bringing Sasha back alive.» He blamed Hamas leaders «who kill hostages and do not want an agreement», vowing to «settle the score» with them. - West Bank attack - US President Joe Biden said he was «devastated and outraged» by their deaths, but told reporters he was «still optimistic» a truce and hostage release deal could be reached. The Biden administration has been involved in ceasefire mediation efforts along with Qatar and Egypt. In the occupied West Bank, as soldiers pressed day five of coordinated raids targeting Palestinian militants, Israeli police said a «shooting attack» killed three officers. The attack near Hebron added to surging violence in the territory where at least 24 Palestinians, including 14 militant groups said were their members, have been killed by the military since the Israeli raids began on Wednesday. One 20-year-old soldier was killed Saturday in the raids, which Israel's military has called «counter-terrorism» operations. On Sunday, a «shooting attack» near the Tarqumiya checkpoint in the Hebron area in the southern West Bank killed three police officers. The military said it «eliminated» the suspected attacker after surrounding a house in Hebron. In the northern West Bank, an AFP photographer saw Israeli bulldozers in Jenin city centre, a day after an official said soldiers had destroyed most of the streets and power and water had been cut off in the adjacent refugee camp. Later on Sunday an AFP photographer heard loud explosions near the camp and saw black smoke over the city. The United Nations said Wednesday that at least 637 Palestinians had been killed in the territory by Israeli troops or settlers since the Gaza war began. Twenty-three Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during army operations over the same period, according to official figures. - Polio vaccinations - In the besieged Gaza Strip, «humanitarian pauses» in the nearly 11-month war between Israel and Hamas were due to take place to facilitate a massive polio vaccination drive which a health official told AFP had begun in earnest Sunday. Hamas's October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's offensive has killed at least 40,738 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The UN rights office says most of the dead are women and children. The fighting has devastated Gaza, repeatedly displaced most of its 2.4 million people and triggered a humanitarian crisis. Water, sanitation and medical facilities have been ravaged, contributing to the spread of preventable disease. The World Health Organization has said Israel agreed to a series of three-day «humanitarian pauses» to facilitate the vaccination campaign that aims to reach some 640,000 children, after the first confirmed case in Gaza in 25 years. On Sunday, it was formally launched at three health centres in central Gaza, said Yasser Shaaban, director of Al-Awda hospital. «We hope this vaccination campaign for children will be calm,» said Shaaban, noting there were «a lot of drones» flying overhead. Louise Wateridge, a spokeswoman for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, later said nearly 2,000 children were vaccinated initially Sunday. But she added that they were anxious about later: «If the bombing continues after 2:00 pm this is of course going to impact the vaccination campaign... The only way to do this is a ceasefire.» On Sunday, rescuers in the Gaza Strip said 10 people had been killed in Israeli bombardment and an air strike. © Agence France-Presse

The works of five local artists are being shown in an «In Situ» exhibition at the National Art Gallery in its efforts to promote Seychelles' art alongside international works of art organised by the Creative Seychelles Agency (CSA) from August 23 to October 5. The Agency's executive director, Emmanuel D'Offay, told reporters, «It is essential that the National Gallery - the most important exhibition space in the country - showcases local contemporary work, but we also need to exhibit work from outside Seychelles which can inform and inspire Seychellois artists.» The term 'In Situ' is from Latin and means 'in position', is the the title of this exhibition and refers to the fact that the principal large format works, 12 in all, have been created inside the gallery, from July 22 to August 20. Kipau, Zsaklin Miklos and Jude Ally are three artists showing their work in the exhibition; all three are established names on the art scene.  The principal artworks for the exhibition were created inside the gallery. (Creative Seychelles Agency) Photo License: All Rights Reserved  Ally has his artwork currently on show at the Venice Biennale, while Kipao held an exhibition at the Eden Art Space in 2022. The two have worked on a painting for this latest exhibition, in what the Agency described as a canvas using their approaches in collegiality and mutual respect. The other established artist also showing her work In Situ is Miklos - who has contributed two canvases to the exhibition. There are also budding Seychellois artists, Angela Marzorcchi and Hyara Louys, from the Seychelles Institute of Art and Design (SIAD). «Exhibiting young and emerging artists is also a priority for us, as long as the quality of the work is appropriate,» D'Offay said, explaining their inclusion in the exhibition. While those taking part in the exhibition did not have a specific theme to work with, the Agency explained that there were no restrictions other than that the works have to be pure abstractions painted onto canvas. Artists were also encouraged to use non-conventional tools to apply and manipulate the paint. «Such paintings can often evolve from a less specific concept than would be the case in, say, a portrait or landscape painting, and improvisation and experimentation have always been significant elements of the creative energy driving abstract works,» said Creative Seychelles Agency.

Independent Russian media outlet Mediazona said Saturday according to its estimates more than 66,000 Russian military personnel have died during the war in Ukraine. Mediazona has been drawing up a list of known soldier deaths in conjunction with the BBC Russian Service using open-source data. Previously in April, they announced they had found more than 50,000 names of Russians killed. Mediazona said Saturday that «as of August 30, we know the names of 66,471 Russian soldiers killed in the war». The list has gone up by more than 4,600 in the last four weeks, it said, while stressing this was not a definitive figure since many soldiers' deaths are not made public. Anastasia Alekseyeva, a journalist at Mediazona, stressed that the latest death numbers were «not linked to Ukraine's offensive in the Kursk region or Russia's advance in the east». This is because researchers are still working through a backlog of death reports, she said. The report found that 172 conscripts doing national service have been killed in the war, with the highest figures in early months. However these figures may be inexact since conscripts can sign professional army contracts and some may have done so without telling relatives, Mediazona editor Dmitry Treshchanin said. According to Mediazona's breakdown, the region with the largest absolute number of deaths -- 2,578 -- is the southern republic of Bashkortostan, which has a large Muslim population. The most represented age group overall was 33-35 (6,877 deaths). More than 12,000 of the dead were prisoners, after Russia sought to recruit inmates by promising them freedom after a period on the front line. But numbers have dropped recently, Alekseyeva said: «evidently the recruitment drive is not as active». Mediazona and the BBC along with volunteers have been counting deaths since February 2022, using open-source information from official reports and the media, as well as using satellite images of Russian cemeteries to estimate the number of new graves. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in June that almost 700,0000 Russian soldiers were fighting in Ukraine. Moscow rarely talks about the losses it has sustained in what it calls a «special military operation». The defence ministry in September 2022 said 5,937 soldiers had been killed in combat. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in February that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed in the first two years of the war. © Agence France-Presse

The future is looking bright for badminton in Seychelles as several young players won three silver and three bronze medals at the All Africa School championship in Senegal recently. Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, was represented at the competition by Yohan Didon, Joshua Raguin, Liana Bedier and Aurelie Jean-Louis. Didon won three silver medals in three events. In the boys singles event, he lost in the final to Benin's Lewis Kpanou with the first set score of  21-16, before going down 21-13 in the second set to lose the match by two sets to nil. He won another silver medal in the boys' doubles event, where he teamed up with Raguin. The final was another battle against players from Benin where they lost 2 sets to nil. Didon's third silver medal came in the mix double in which he teamed up with  Aurelie Jean-Louis facing a team from Benin again.   Seychelles lost the first set 21-7, before also going down 21-6 in the second set to lose 2-0 and settle for a silver medal. The three bronze medals were won by Liana Bedier in the girls single event. Bedier with Jean-Louis claimed bronze in the girls' doubles and finally Bedier and Raguin won bronze in the mixed doubles. Seychelles used to be recognised in badminton at the African level with players winning medals in international competitions. These were from players like Juliette Waye-Hive formerly Ah-Wan, Alissen Camille, Georgie Cupidon and Steve Malcouzane, claiming titles all over the continent and even being crowned African Champions. The hope is that the younger generation can bring back the days of glory.  

Almost two months after France's inconclusive legislative elections, impatience is growing with the reluctance of President Emmanuel Macron to name a new prime minister in an unprecedented standoff with opposition parties. Never in the history of the Fifth Republic -- which began with constitutional reform in 1958 -- has France gone so long without a permanent government, leaving the previous administration led by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal in place as caretakers. A left-wing coalition emerged from the election as the biggest political force but with nowhere near enough seats for an overall majority, while Macron's centrist faction and the far-right make up the two other major groups in the National Assembly. To the fury of the New Popular Front (NFP) coalition, Macron earlier this week rejected their choice of economist and civil servant Lucie Castets, 37, to become premier, arguing a left-wing government would be a «threat to institutional stability». Macron insisted during a Thursday visit to Serbia that he was making «every effort» to «achieve the best solution for the country». «I will speak to the French people in due time and within the right framework,» he said. - 'Serious political crisis' - Macron's task is to find a prime minister with whom he can work but who above all can find enough support in the National Assembly to escape swift ejection by a no-confidence motion. Despite the lack of signs of progress in public, attention is crystallising on one possible «back to the future» option. Former Socialist Party grandee Bernard Cazeneuve, 61, could return to the job of prime minister which he held for less than half a year under the presidency of Francois Hollande from 2016-2017. He is better known for his much longer stint as interior minister under Hollande, which encompassed the radical Islamist attacks on Paris in November 2015. But Cazeneuve receives far from whole-hearted support even on the left, where some in the Socialist Party (PS) regard him with suspicion for leaving when it first struck an alliance with hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) -- a party which in turn sees the ex-PM as too centrist. Another option could be the Socialist mayor of the Paris suburb of Saint-Ouen, Karim Bouamrane, 51, who has said he would consider taking the job if asked. Bouamrane is widely admired for seeking to tackle inequality and insecurity in the low-income district. The stalemate has ground on first through the Olympics and now the Paralympics, with Macron showing he is in no rush to resolve the situation. «We are in the most serious political crisis in the history of the Fifth Republic,» Jerome Jaffre, a political scientist at the Sciences Po university, told AFP. France has been «without a majority, without a government for forty days,» he said, marking the longest period of so-called caretaker rule since the end of World War II. - 'Rubik's cube' - Macron's move to block Castets even seeking to lead a government provoked immediate outrage from the left, with Green Party chief Marine Tondelier accusing the president of stealing the election outcome. National coordinator for the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI), Manuel Bompard, said the decision was an «unacceptable anti-democratic coup», and LFI leader Jean-Luc Melanchon called for Macron's impeachment. Some leftist leaders are urging for popular demonstrations on September 7, although this move has alarmed some Socialists and led to strains within the NFP. France is in a «void with no precedents or clear rules about what should happen next,» said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at the Eurasia Group consultancy. The president was «confronted with a parliamentary Rubik's cube without an obvious solution,» said Rahman. October 1 is the legal deadline by which a government must present a draft budget law for 2025. The president has a constitutional duty to «ensure» the government functions, said public law professor Dominique Rousseau. «He's not going to appoint a government that we know will be overthrown within 48 hours,» he added. For constitutional scholar Dominique Chagnollaud, Macron has backed himself into a corner, creating «unprecedented constitutional confusion». The logical choice is to appoint a leader from the group that «came out on top,» said Chagnollaud. «In most democracies, that's how it works. If that doesn't work, we try a second solution, and so on.» © Agence France-Presse

Seychelles will embark on a multi-phased land reclamation project at the Providence Industrial Area by the end of the year, once the environmental impact assessment (EIA ) is done, to cater to an ever growing demand for land for business use, a top government official said on Wednesday. The areas for reclamation  Providence Zone 18 lagoon area, Providence Zone 5, and Providence Zone 20 are subject to approval of EIA. The benefits of the reclaimed land are an increase in industrial land supply with 346 more plots, enabling awaiting applicants, if successful through tender, to be assisted with land for business development and create more investment opportunities and economic prosperity. Speaking to the press, the Minister for Investment, Entrepreneurship and Industry,  Devika Vidot, revealed the government's plans recently in a consultative meeting held with various interested parties who have already applied for a plot of land at the industrial estate. The authorities will make the land available for businesses involved in light manufacturing as well as other industrial purposes. When explaining the reason for such a decision, Vidot said there was already a great demand for a plot on the estate that vastly surpassed the authorities' abilities to supply. There are currently over 1,200 applicants on its waiting list for a plot of land. «Access to land remains a great challenge to the government, as it is stopping you from expanding your businesses, leaving you unable to employ more people or train them, which means as a country we are missing out on these opportunities,» she said. Meanwhile, the project to reclaim the land at Providence is still in the environmental impact assessment stage. Once completed, Vidot said it is only when the IEA is done and approval is given that the authorities will go ahead with the reclamation. Businesses currently waiting for a plot of land are expected to have access to them in 2026. Vidot said the authorities will apply stringent rules when reviewing applications for the newly reclaimed land. This will include proof that the applicants have the means to properly develop their plots.

The President of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, will participate in the Ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, scheduled from September 4 to 6, State House said on Friday. The summit will gather African leaders to engage in high-level discussions aimed at enhancing strategic communication and coordination, reinforcing the foundation for the continued development of China-Africa relations, according to a press statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs.The 2024 forum, themed «Joining Hands to Advance Modernisation and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future,» will serve as a platform for furthering mutual cooperation.The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was established in 2000 as a uni-multilateral partnership platform between China and 53 African states. FOCAC has been held successfully eight times since it was established and the last edition was held in 2021 in Dakar, Senegal. 

The Speaker of the Seychelles National Assembly, Roger Mancienne, has emphasised the interconnectedness of the world and the implications of global events at the 2024 Interregional Seminar on the Achievement of the SDGs for parliaments of developing countries, in his presentation.   The event was together with the held together with Commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the National People's Congress (NPC's) Membership to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Beijing, China, from August 19 to 28. The Seychelles' delegation also comprised the Leader of the Opposition, Sebastien Pillay, from the main opposition party United Seychelles, Norbert Loizeau, the elected member of the central Bel Air district, and the director of the Office of the Clerk, Brigitte Contoret. The opening ceremony, held in the Great Hall of the People, was undertaken by the Chairman of the National People's Congress, Zhao Leji, and attended by all speakers and heads of delegations. A notable highlight was the meeting of speakers with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who made a call to action for the advocation and promotion of «an equal and orderly multi-polar world and an inclusive economic globalisation that benefits all.» This was followed by the opening ceremony of the 2024 Interregional Seminar on the Achievement of the SDGs for Parliaments of Developing Countries under the theme «Stronger Inter-Parliamentary Exchanges for Better Achievement of the SDGs.» In his presentation under the theme «Jointly upholding peace and stability for common development and prosperity,» Mancienne underlined the significance of peace and stability to the world's achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He also emphasised the vital role of parliaments in creating a more progressive world based on mutual cooperation. Mancienne expressed his appreciation for China's sustained engagement with the IPU and the global parliamentary network and said, «As a leader in the world economy, China's unwavering commitment to peace and stability is certainly welcome.» Pillay also gave a presentation under the theme «Synergising development strategies for a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation.» The presentation outlined the importance of global prosperity and inclusive economic globalisation. The Global Development Initiative seeks to achieve the 2030 Agenda's Sustainable Development Goals by fostering equitable partnerships and promoting stronger, greener, and healthier global development. Pillay said, «We must ensure that we defend and promote what the people need while emphasising the transfer of modern technologies, economic diversification, and international cooperation to build resilient, sustainable economies.»

The ordination of two new Seychellois priests, and a new deacon within days of each other in August has given hope to the Roman Catholic Church in Seychelles, after years of no new persons interested in this religious vocation. Recently Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan met Father Christian Toulon, Father Emmanuel Boniface, and Deacon Aubrey Pon Wayne at State House. The head of state congratulated the clergymen on their recent ordinations, commending their dedication to serving the community. Ramkalawan also reaffirmed the government's commitment to supporting their initiatives as young Seychellois leaders. In this week's buzz, SNA presents you with the four new men who have joined the Diocese of Port Victoria, in the western Indian Ocean nation of Seychelles, in the last two years.   Deacon Aubrey Ponwaye Ponwaye's journey to becoming a member of the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church in Seychelles started in 2010 when he left Seychelles for Quebec, Canada, where he joined the Roman Catholic community of spiritual brotherhood and sisterhood of 'St Famille Marie-Jeunesse'.   Ponwaye was ordained as a deacon on July 14.    (Seychelles Nation) Photo License: CC-BY    Father Christian Toulon A graduate of the University of Malaysia, and a former electrician, Toulon was ordained as a deacon in December 2023. Prior to that the young man had joined a Catholic group called «Cherche ton étoile» («Search for your star»), a platform, where young people meet to deepen the question of vocation. It was through these meetings that he chose the vocation of priesthood and was ordained on August 5. (Seychelles Nation) Photo License: CC-BY    Father Emmanuel Boniface A former teacher from Bougainville, Boniface who is musically talented with a passion for the guitar, did his studies and training at the Seychelles Institute for Teacher Education. After he graduated, he worked as a primary teacher before pursuing his other vocation and left for theology studies in Tanzania, Kenya and France. Boniface was ordained as a deacon in Orleans, France, in December 2023.  Aged 31 years old, he was ordained as a priest on August 11, at the Anse Royale parish of Saint Joseph. (Seychelles Nation) Photo License: CC-BY    Father Romeo Bonne Bonne, who was ordained in July 2022, is the first Catholic priest from Seychelles to join the Spiritan congregation. His ordination came 13 years after that of Father Collin Underwood in 2009. Right after his ordination, he left for Cape Verde for his first missionary post. Bonne joined the Spiritan congregation in 2017 after studying in Senegal. The Spiritan congregation is a Roman Catholic religious community founded in France in 1703, formally called the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. He was ordained a deacon in Dakar, Senegal, in August 2021.  (Joe Laurence, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY   

Seychelles well-known heavyweight boxer, Keddy Agnes, has announced his retirement from the sport at the end of 2024.   Agnes' announcement comes a month after the Seychelles Aquatic Federation announced the retirement of top Seychellois female swimmer Felicity Passion. This means that the Seychelles' Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year for 2023 are both retiring. The 30-year-old boxer has been performing in high-level competitions for many years but after failing to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games, he has decided to concentrate on his work in the Seychelles Police rather than boxing. Agnes will go down as one of the best boxers Seychelles has produced, in recent years, with his strength in the ring being talked about by Seychellois of all ages. «I will not be competing for another Olympic Games qualification as this will be my last year in the sport. I will be going for my last African Championship in October of this year, and that will be it,» he told SNA. The two-time Sportsman of the Year award winner explained that he will continue to get involved with the sport and will be looking to help the younger boxers, although he revealed that a lot has to change for him to change his mind. Agnes had a great 2023 in which he won a gold medal at the Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG) and a silver medal at the African Championships in Cameroon. He also finished third at the Olympic qualification tournament in Senegal. This year has been quiet and Agnes mostly competed in Olympic qualifying tournaments but despite his efforts was unable to secure a spot in the Paris Games. «My only regret is that I have not qualified for the Olympic Games, as I have represented Seychelles at almost other competitions aside from that one. I have tried my best to qualify, but I have been unlucky,» he told SNA. Agnes said that he sees a lot of potential in the other young boxers coming up and explained that the young athletes need to continue to get exposure to international competitions for them to improve. «There are many motivated boxers here, such as Dasheil Fanchette, Joshua Cousin, and others, who if they continue to push on, nothing will be impossible,» he added. Agnes has represented Seychelles at various levels, representing the island nation at the Commonwealth Games, Francophonie Games, African Games, and Indian Ocean Island Games, whete he won numerous medals internationally for Seychelles. While many will be hoping that Agnes will change his mind and continue to fight for that Olympic qualification, the boxer is urging the younger generation of athletes to remain motivated and continue to work hard, if they are to achieve the things that he has accomplished.

The Regional Coordination Operations Centre (RCOC) based in Seychelles, in collaboration with the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre (RMIFC) in Madagascar, with regional and international partners successfully conducted Operation Levante 2 from August 15 to 22. According to a joint press release from the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) on Monday, also participating in the operation were Kenya, Madagascar, the United Kingdom and EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta in Somalia. The preventive operation was organised during the port visits of the ships ESPS Numancia from the EUNAVFOR Atalanta, and the Royal Navy HMS Lancaster to Kenya and Seychelles, respectively. Operation Levante 2 is part of a strategy to deter and repress various illegal activities at sea in the western Indian Ocean, identified under the surveillance of the RMIFC, such as illegal migration, drug trafficking, and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Its main objectives were to improve maritime domain awareness, deter illegal activities at sea, strengthen maritime security, integrate legal experts in operations and promote information sharing between regional and international partners. In addition to this, the operation made it possible to test the interoperability of the forces of the different participating countries and partners. The operation made it possible to monitor more than 60 vessels over an area of 1,223,815 square kilometres. It included a particular case involving a Kenya-flagged vessel suspected of IUU fishing just outside the Somali territorial seas, currently being handled in cooperation with Somalian and Kenyan authorities. Seychellois captain Sam Gontier, director of the RCOC, said, «With the collaboration of member states and partners within the Regional Maritime Security Architecture (RMSA), we are continuously increasing our patrols across the western Indian Ocean.» Gontier said, «The RCOC, through new partnerships and the inclusion of additional member states, is expanding its presence and capabilities to conduct joint operations. This strengthened presence plays a vital role in upholding the rule of law and combatting the notion of a »No man's sea,« ensuring that security and order are maintained throughout the region.» The two regional centres involved in this mission, RMIFC and RCOC, were initially established under the EU-funded MASE programme, under the component implemented by the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC). Its objective is to enhance maritime safety and security in the western Indian Ocean through regional and international cooperation.  

Medals are up for grabs in track cycling, swimming, table tennis and taekwondo when the action begins on Thursday at the Paris Paralympics, which opened in a colourful and hope-filled ceremony ahead of 11 days of competition. The action also begins in sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, badminton, archery, goalball -- a form of football for the visually impaired -- and boccia, a version of bowls. French President Emmanuel Macron declared the Games open on Wednesday during a ceremony in a balmy Place de la Concorde in central Paris -- the first time a Paralympic opening ceremony has taken place away from the main stadium. The 4,400 competitors from 168 delegations paraded into the arena as the sun set with host nation France entering last to a standing ovation from 30,000 spectators. The fine weather was in sharp contrast to the heavy rain which fell throughout the Olympics opening ceremony on July 26. International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president Andrew Parsons told the athletes and spectators he hoped for an «inclusion revolution», before Macron officially declared the Games open. The Paralympic flag was carried into the square by John McFall, a British Paralympic sprinter who has been selected by the European Space Agency to be the first 'parastronaut'. French Olympian Florent Manaudou brought the flame into the arena to complete the four-day torch relay. Five French Paralympians, including 2020 gold medallists Alexis Hanquinquant and Nantenin Keita, lit the already-iconic cauldron in the Tuileries Gardens. Of the 35 Olympic venues, 18 will be used for the Paralympics including the ornate Grand Palais and the Stade de France. Ticket sales had been sluggish for the Paralympics, which run until September 8, but they have accelerated since the Olympics and organisers say more than two million of the 2.5 million available have been sold, with several venues sold out. - Ukraine send strong team - Riding the wave of their Olympic team's success, host nation France are aiming for a substantial improvement on the 11 golds in 2021, which left them 14th in the medals table. Paralympic powerhouses China dominated the last Paralympics in Tokyo with 96 golds and have again sent a strong delegation. Ukraine, traditionally one of the top medal-winning nations at the Paralympics, have sent 140 athletes to compete in 17 sports despite the challenges they face in preparing as the war against Russian forces rages at home. A total of 96 athletes from Russia and Belarus will compete under a neutral banner but are banned from ceremonies because of the invasion of Ukraine. American above-the-knee amputee sprinter/high jumper Ezra Frech, who is 19, has been tipped as a potential new star at these Games. Away from the track, more established names go in search of glory. Iranian sitting volleyball legend Morteza Mehrzad, who stands 8ft 1in (2.46m) tall, will attempt to take gold again. Beatrice 'Bebe' Vio, the Italian fencer who had all four limbs amputated when she contracted meningitis at the age of 11, is aiming for a third Paralympic Games gold. © Agence France-Presse

The death toll climbed Thursday as Israel pressed a large-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank for a second day, despite UN concerns it is «fuelling an already explosive situation». The operation was launched as violence raged on in the other main Palestinian territory, the Gaza Strip, which has been devastated by war since Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attacks. Israel began coordinated raids in the northern West Bank cities of Jenin, Tubas and Tulkarem early on Wednesday, in what the military called a «counter-terrorism» operation. Columns of Israeli armoured vehicles backed by troops and warplanes were sent in before soldiers encircled refugee camps in Tubas and Tulkarem, as well as Jenin, and exchanged fire with Palestinian militants. The army said it killed five militants in Tulkarem during the latest operations in the West Bank on Thursday, bringing the overall toll to 14 dead. «Following exchanges of fire, the forces eliminated five terrorists who had hidden inside a mosque» in Tulkarem, the military said in a statement. Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad confirmed the death of Muhammad Jabber, also known as Abu Shujaa, its commander in the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem. The violence has caused significant destruction, especially in Tulkarem, whose governor described the raids as «unprecedented» and a «dangerous signal». AFPTV footage showed bulldozers ripping up the asphalt from streets in the city as a precaution against concealed explosives. Authorities reported widespread damage to infrastructure, including to water and sewage networks. The Palestinian health ministry said 12 Palestinians were killed on the first day of the operation. Witnesses said the Israeli forces had withdrawn from Al-Farra refugee camp in Tubas where several Palestinians were killed on Wednesday. - 'Explosive situation' - An AFP photographer said clashes were still taking place in Jenin, where a drone was seen flying overhead. Another AFP journalist said Israeli soldiers were still operating in Tulkarem. The Palestinian Prisoners' Club said at least 45 people had been arrested since the start of the Israeli operation in the northern West Bank. The United Nations expressed concern over the Israeli operations in the West Bank. UN chief Antonio Guterres, in a statement, called for an «immediate cessation of these operations». Guterres condemned the use of air strikes on civilian targets and «the loss of lives, including of children». «These dangerous developments are fuelling an already explosive situation in the occupied West Bank and further undermining the Palestinian Authority,» the UN statement said. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Wednesday cut short a visit to Saudi Arabia to address the crisis, while Jordan's King Abdullah II appealed for a ceasefire in Gaza to stop the spread of violence. Since the war began, at least 637 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli troops or settlers, according to the United Nations. Nineteen Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during army operations, according to Israeli official figures. - 'Don't know where to go' - Violence also raged in Gaza, where the Israeli military on Thursday said it «eliminated dozens» of militants during the past day in close-quarters combat and air strikes. The army said one of those killed in the Khan Yunis area was a militant who took part in the October 7 attack. The war in Gaza erupted after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of 1,199 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Militants also seized 251 people, 103 of whom are still captive in Gaza, including 33 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 40,602 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The UN rights office says most of the dead are women and children. The war has devastated Gaza and triggered a humanitarian crisis. The United Nations said it was continuing to deliver humanitarian assistance despite the upheaval to civilians and aid teams caused by repeated Israeli evacuation orders and military operations. «It's just catastrophic,» said Louise Wateridge, a spokesperson for the UN agency for Palestine refugees, or UNRWA. «What we're seeing now is families, mothers, children dragging their belongings,» she said on social media platform X. «There's very limited access to any kind of vehicles for this kind of displacement now, and people just don't know where to go.» © Agence France-Presse

Israel launched a large-scale operation Wednesday in the occupied West Bank, where the army said it killed Palestinian fighters, as the nearly 11-month-old Gaza war showed no signs of abating. The military said its forces killed nine militants while the Palestinian Red Crescent reported 10 deaths in the West Bank, where violence has surged during the war sparked by Gaza rulers Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel. The war has killed more than 40,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, and caused widespread destruction and displacement. Early Wednesday, Israel launched coordinated raids across four northern West Bank cities -- Jenin, Nablus, Tubas and Tulkarem -- where the military has focused much of its recent operations against armed groups. Columns of armoured vehicles entered two refugee camps, in Tulkarem and Tubas, as well as Jenin. By midday, they were blocking entrances to the towns and camps, AFP photographers said, with soldiers firing at the camps from which gunfire and explosions were heard. The Red Crescent said Israeli forces killed 10 people and wounded 22 others in the raids. The medical organisation's West Bank chief Younes al-Khatib said ambulances came under Israel fire and «one of our staffers was hit». Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas cut short a visit to Saudi Arabia and headed home to «follow up on the latest developments in light of the Israeli aggression», Palestinian official media said. Jordan's King Abdullah II told visiting US lawmakers a Gaza truce was needed «to stop the cycle of violence in the region», according to a royal statement. Violence meanwhile raged in the Gaza Strip, where the civil defence agency reported at least 12 dead in Israeli strikes, and in Lebanon where the Israeli military said it killed a «significant» Palestinian militant. Mediation efforts seeking an end to the Gaza war continued in Qatar where an Israeli delegation was present Wednesday, said a source close to the negotiations. - Israeli minister declares 'war' - In the West Bank, a Tulkarem municipality official told AFP the scale of the destruction was «very big». Israeli forces «attacked the infrastructure, in particular in the city of Tulkarem and the Nur Shams camp» and «destroyed» water and sewage systems, Hakim Abu Safiyeh said. Israeli bulldozers dug up asphalt from the streets, with the army saying it was looking for roadside bombs. A spokesman said troops were exchanging fire with militants. The army reported no casualties on its side. The military carries out daily raids in the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, but it is rare for these to happen in multiple cities simultaneously. Wednesday's operation, according to army spokesman Nadav Shoshani, was not «extremely different» from regular activity. But Foreign Minster Israel Katz said the military was «operating in full force since last night» in what he called «a war» aiming to «dismantle Iranian-Islamic terror infrastructure». In a post on X, he accused Iran -- Israel's main regional foe which backs Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon -- of seeking to «establish an eastern front against Israel» in the West Bank. Since October 7, Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 650 Palestinians in the West Bank, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures, and Palestinian attacks have killed at least 19 Israelis, officials say. The United States on Wednesday announced sanctions on an Israeli settler group that the State Department said was involved in violence against Palestinians and had a role in the forced displacement of some 250 villagers earlier this year. The UN Human Rights Office said the latest Israeli raids risk «deepening the already catastrophic situation» in the West Bank. - Fleeing Gaza hospital - Last week, the army announced it had killed a senior Palestinian militant in Lebanon, accusing him of «directing attacks and smuggling weapons» to the West Bank. Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian Islamist movement allied with Hamas which has a strong presence in the northern West Bank, early Wednesday denounced an «open war» by Israel. «With this aggression... the occupier wants to impose a new state of affairs on the ground to annex the West Bank,» a statement said. Israel's military later said a strike in the Syria-Lebanon border area killed a «significant» Islamic Jihad operations officer. A Syrian war monitor reported four dead. Hamas late Tuesday reiterated a call for Palestinians in the West Bank to «rise up» following widely condemned comments by a far-right Israeli minister. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a settler and proponent of West Bank annexation, said he would build a synagogue at Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound if he could. In Gaza, Palestinians were on the move following Israeli evacuation orders. One of the latest targeted the area around Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Hospital in Deir el-Balah, from which «nearly 650 patients have fled», Doctors Without Borders said. The charity said it «opened a field hospital and started receiving patients amid a severe lack of supplies and resources». Hamas's October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,199 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 40,534 people in Gaza, according to the territory's health ministry. The UN rights office says most of the dead are women and children. The remains of Shaked Dahan, an Israeli soldier killed on October 7, have been recovered from Gaza, his family's hometown said Wednesday. He was one of 251 people seized by Palestinian militants during the attack, 103 of whom are still captive in Gaza including 33 the military says are dead. © Agence France-Presse

The WHO on Tuesday said droplets were a minor route of transmission for mpox compared to physical contact, adding that more research was needed to understand how the outbreak is spreading. The World Health Organization declared an international emergency over mpox on August 14, concerned by the surge in cases of the Clade 1b strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo and its spread to nearby countries. The UN health agency says on its website that mpox spreads between people mainly through close physical contact with someone who has the virus. «Close contact includes skin-to-skin (such as touching or sex) and mouth-to-mouth, or mouth-to-skin contact (such as kissing),» it says. It can also include «being face-to-face with someone who has mpox (such as talking or breathing close to one another, which can generate infectious respiratory particles)». WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said Tuesday that if a person with the virus had lesions, «if you're talking closely to someone, breathing on them, physically close, face-to-face, there is a possibility» of viral spread, «but this is a minor source». Instead, «what we're seeing is the close, physical skin-to-skin» contact as the chief route of transmission, she told a briefing in Geneva. «When you're talking to somebody, you're spitting out droplets,» but «it's not a very major form of transmission -- and it's not a... through-the-air, long-distance sort of transmission». «More research is needed to fully understand the transmission dynamics,» Harris added. The WHO recommends the use of facemasks for those with mpox, their close contacts and health workers treating them. - Studies into new strain - There are two subtypes of mpox: Clade 1, endemic in the Congo Basin in central Africa; and Clade 2, endemic in West Africa. The surge in the DR Congo is being driven by surges of two different Clade 1 strains. The first is an outbreak in northwest DRC of what was previously known as Clade 1, now called Clade 1a. The second, in northeastern DRC, is a new offshoot of Clade 1 called Clade 1b, which was first detected in September last year and is spreading rapidly. The spread of Clade 1b, and its detection in nearby countries, were the main reasons behind the WHO sounding its top emergency alarm. Clade 1 mpox is known to be more virulent than Clade 2 mpox and has a higher fatality rate. As for whether Clade 1b is more dangerous than Clade 1a, Harris said: «We don't have that data.» «Studies are under way to understand the properties of the new strain. But available epidemiological data doesn't really suggest that the clade 1b variant causes more severe cases and deaths.» The WHO said Tuesday that it needed $87.4 million from September to February to implement its plans to contain the mpox outbreak. Meanwhile the UN refugee agency warned that displacement camps in the DRC and other impacted countries in Africa could be severely affected. «Without additional, urgent support, the recently declared mpox outbreak could become devastating for refugees and displaced communities,» said UNHCR's public health chief Allen Maina. He said implementing mpox prevention measures among those fleeing violence was a «tremendous challenge», with people driven into overcrowded shelters with poor sanitation, while others were cut off from humanitarian assistance. © Agence France-Presse

Seychelles and Algeria will reinforce their existing relationship by further cooperation in key sectors such as education and health, said the newly accredited Algerian ambassador on Tuesday. Filali Ghouini made the announcement after presenting his credentials to President Wavel Ramkalawan at State House. He told reporters that the two countries are looking to facilitate students from Seychelles to obtain Algerian university scholarships. The two countries will also continue to work together in the areas of capacity building and exchanging expertise in the tourism and agriculture sectors. Ghouini said the two countries had «solidarity in cooperation on different issues and have similar positions in African and international issues.» They also discussed the newly signed Bilateral Air Service Agreement between the two countries. On Monday, Ghouini made a courtesy visit to the principal secretary for Foreign Affairs, Vivianne Fock-Tave.   Fock Tave conveyed the appreciation of Seychelles' government for the support from Algeria since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries in September 1976. Discussions also focused on issues related to the African Union, cooperation in the health sector, and possible exchanges of expertise, notably in the fields of agriculture and tourism. Ghouini will be based in Antananarivo, Madagascar.   

Popular Seychellois reggae artist, Golty Farabeau, who moved to the United Kingdom some 20 years ago is appealing to fans and well-wishers in the country to help him raise much-needed funds to return to Seychelles. Farabeau, 62, has been diagnosed with terminal progressive kidney cancer, and late last month, the singer with the help of his friend Linda Smith, set up a GoFundMe to raise the money needed for his travel expenses, medical care and to ensure the artist may spend his remaining days in his native land. Speaking on his live feed on FaceBook on Sunday night, Farabeau said  that since “I can no longer breathe properly, I am being assisted by a tube, I feel that I do not have long before I go.” He revealed to his followers that he would need around SCR2 million ($ 149,288) to get to Seychelles.  The initial GoFundMe page has raised £8,576 donated as of midday on Monday, exceeding the initial £6,000 it had targeted. Farabeau said this would not be sufficient for his flight and other expenses. “I have friends in the country who have contacted the authorities to help me, however, the amount of time it will take for them to complete the formalities is not time that I have right now,« he said. The artist, well-known for songs such as 'An Avan' in English “Let’s Move Forward’ and Larout I Long “The Road is Long, » said, "Despite the many challenges I've faced throughout my life, nothing could prepare me for this battle. As the disease progresses, my strength is fading, and I realise that my time is running short.” Farabeau, a singer, composer and musician, has been performing in bands in the UK, after moving there in 2003 to further his career. He performed in two bands – Jahmadou and the Red Head Band – the first mainly playing soul, funk and blues music while the former mostly reggae. He said, “More than anything, I want the place where I recover to be what I've always called home— the Seychelles. Being surrounded by my family's love and the ocean's familiar sounds would mean the world to me.” 

Although the fleet of Spanish purse seiners registered in Seychelles have noted a drop in catch for the yellowfin tuna in 2023, the first half of 2024 seems to be back to the normal average, said the deputy manager of OPAGAC, Miguel Herrera. The OPAGAC-AGAC group represents the interests of six Spanish seiners out of the 13 seiners registered in Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. OPAGAC is an organisation of producers of frozen tuna recognised in Spain by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, while AGAC is the Association of Large Tuna Freezers and currently has nine groups of shipowners. Every year, the Seychelles-flagged vessels are legally required to declare their catch for the year on December 31, and usually, vessels start reaching their limit towards the end of October or the beginning of November. This is, however, vessel-specific as each one manages its quota differently. Last year, since the vessels were behind on their quota, they were still at sea until the end of December. To ensure that these vessels did not miss the start of the season at the beginning of January, they were allowed to remain at sea and granted permission to declare their catch for 2023 two weeks later on January 15.   Herrera said, «Yes, there were vessels from AGAC that remained at sea over the end of the year, as they had not reached their YFT catch limits. All Seychelles-flagged purse seiners have logbooks onboard and skippers are obliged to report catches in those logbooks, per fishing set and species. Therefore, the SFA (Seychelles Fishing Authority) can monitor the catches in near-real time and assign them to the year in which the catch limit applies.» Herrera highlighted the country's privileged position in the Indian Ocean, being at the centre of purse seine activity. (Joe Laurence, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY  He noted that «this has been the system used by other members of IOTC (Indian Ocean Tuna Commission), like Spain and France, since the implementation of catch limits for the monitoring of catches against the limits assigned to each purse seiner. This system assists Seychelles to fully utilise its catch limits, reducing the time in the port of purse seiners and ensuring a longer economic activity and supply to the canning factory in Seychelles.» Herrera surmised that the drop last year may have been due to natural phenomena such as El Nino, but for this year, they were maintaining the normal average so far. «The fleet has noted a drop in catchability of yellowfin tuna during 2023, which was very likely driven by oceanographic conditions. During 2023, the thermocline was allegedly deeper, and the fish targeted by surface fisheries was more spread over the water column, some beyond the range of purse seine nets, which may reach depths of around 150-200m, depending on the currents. However, in 2024 everything seems to be back to normal, with catches of YFT at normal average levels according to skippers.» Yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean is currently the most overfished tuna stock in the world. In 2016, the IOTC adopted a resolution reducing the fishing allowance of the species by 15 percent to help rebuild the population. Given these limits and the possibility of catchability being affected by natural phenomena, Herrera said, «The fleet tries to adapt to the circumstances as they come, using the technology at hand. Fishing is always subject to management rules and the availability of tuna schools, which may be caught as either free-swimming schools or associated with fishing objects. In recent years, shipowners and skippers have been obliged to plan properly their fishing activities, bearing in mind the catch limits in place. The recent adoption by the IOTC of catch limits for the bigeye tuna may also bring changes in the future, as the fleet adapts to both yellowfin and bigeye catch limits.» Given Seychelles' position geographically, Herrera highlighted the country's privileged position in the Indian Ocean, being at the centre of purse seine activity. He emphasised the importance of maintaining a fine balance between further investments as well as certain challenges that may arise on the horizon. «Most of the purse seine fishing occurs in the western central Indian Ocean, in waters within or neighbouring the Seychelles EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone). Regarding investments, it is a delicate balance, and we believe that there will be increased competition in the region, as some other coastal countries are trying to develop infrastructure and services for fishing vessels. Considering that Seychelles has been the most important tuna hub in the region for many years, we are confident that the government will keep using their savoir-faire to keep levels of activity where they are now,» he added. Herrera concluded that while the rest of the year is still uncertain regarding the catch levels, they are still hopeful for the future and that «2024 seems to be a normal year, with catches at levels similar to those before 2023. However, it is too early to say whether this will be the situation by the end of the year as this is a very changing world.» «We hope that we will be able to make the best of our fishing opportunities, within the margins established by the IOTC, and the Seychelles government, to ensure the long-term sustainability of our vessels and the resources they depend on. We are also hopeful that the IOTC will be able to resolve all the issues identified at previous YFT assessments and reach a consensus on a fully inclusive YFT management measure. In this regard, we fully appreciate the active role that the Seychelles government has been playing at the regional level and hope that efforts to bring everybody on board will continue,» he said. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke with US President Joe Biden about his visit to Ukraine, with the White House voicing hope that he embraced Kyiv's view on ending Russia's invasion. Modi, who angered Ukrainians by hugging Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow recently, visited Kyiv on Friday and told President Volodymyr Zelensky that «no problem should be solved on the battlefield.» Speaking to Biden by telephone, Modi «reiterated India's consistent position in favor of dialogue and diplomacy and expressed full support for (an) early return of peace and stability,» an Indian foreign ministry statement said. Asked about Biden's response, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the United States supported all countries listening to Zelensky's perspectives on ending the war. «We welcome any other country that wants to help President Zelensky work towards this just peace,» Kirby told reporters. The White House later released a readout of the call that said Biden «commended the prime minister» for «his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector.» Modi and Biden «affirmed their continued support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law, on the basis of the UN Charter,» the White House said. Zelensky has called for the return of all territory seized by Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. India has not explicitly backed Zelensky's stance. Despite increasingly close relations with Washington, India has refused to join US sanctions on Moscow, with which it has historic relations, and instead has embraced Russia as a cheaper source of oil. India said that Modi and Biden also discussed Bangladesh, where leader Sheikh Hasina, a close ally of New Delhi, resigned and fled earlier this month after mass protests against her increasingly authoritarian rule. The Indian statement said that Modi and Biden «emphasized restoration of law and order and ensuring safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh.» In the immediate aftermath of Hasina's fall, attacks on Hindus across Muslim-majority Bangladesh were reported. The security situation has since far improved. The United States had repeatedly criticized Sheikh Hasina for backsliding on democracy but, knowing that India was far more invested in Bangladesh, had been careful not to clash openly with New Delhi. © Agence France-Presse

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced a global climate «SOS» at a Pacific islands summit on Tuesday, unveiling research that shows the region's seas rising much more swiftly than global averages. «I am in Tonga to issue a global SOS -- Save Our Seas -- on rising sea levels. A worldwide catastrophe is putting this Pacific paradise in peril» he said. Sparsely populated and with few heavy industries, the Pacific islands collectively pump out less than 0.02 percent of global emissions every year. But this vast arc of volcanic islands and low-lying coral atolls also inhabits a tropical corridor that is rapidly threatened by encroaching oceans. The World Meterological Organisation has been monitoring tide gauges installed on the Pacific's famed beaches since the early 1990s. A new report released by the top UN climate monitoring body showed seas had risen by around 15 centimetres in some parts of the Pacific in the last 30 years. The global average was 9.4 centimetres, according to the report. «It is increasingly evident that we are fast running out of time to turn the tide,» said the forecasting agency's top official Celeste Saulo. Some sites, particularly in Kiribati and Cook Islands, measured a rise that matched or was just under the global average. But other sites, such as the capital cities of Samoa and Fiji, were rising almost three times higher. In low-lying Pacific nation Tuvalu, land is already so scarce that throngs of children use the tarmac at the international airport as their own makeshift playground. Scientists have warned that, even under some moderate scenarios, Tuvalu could be almost entirely wiped off the map within the next 30 years. «It's disaster after disaster, and we are losing the capacity to rebuild, to withstand another cyclone or another flood,» Tuvalu Climate Minister Maina Talia told AFP on the summit's sidelines. «For low-lying island states, it's a matter of survival for us.» The plight of Pacific islands has been easily overlooked in the past, given their relative isolation and lack of economic might. But the region is increasingly seen by scientists as a climate canary in the coal mine, hinting at the troubles possibly facing other parts of the planet. «This new report confirms what Pacific leaders have been saying for years,» Australian climate researcher Wes Morgan told AFP. «Climate change is their top security threat. Pacific nations are in a fight for survival, and cutting climate pollution is key to their future.» Surrounded by millions of square miles of tropical ocean, the South Pacific is uniquely threatened by sea-level rise. The vast majority of people live within five kilometres of the coast, according to the United Nations. Rising seas are swallowing up scarce land and tainting vital food and water sources. Warmer waters are also fuelling more intense natural disasters, while ocean acidification slowly kills the reefs that nourish key marine food chains. © Agence France-Presse

Seychellois sailor Jean-Marc Gardette is once again the winner of the Mahe-Praslin windsurfing race, which took place on Monday morning. The popular event saw participants compete in windsurfing, kite surfing and wind foiling. They had to complete a 44km crossing from Seychelles' main island of Mahe to the archipelago's second largest island, Praslin. Gardette, a well-known windsurfer, was the first to complete the journey, and reached the finish line on the west coast of Praslin, in 1 hour, 3 minutes and 9.72 seconds. His time was over two minutes quicker than he did it in the last race in 2022. «To start we thought the wind would not be too strong and we all stopped close to Ste Anne island, but then the wind was mostly on and off, and so we tried our best with that,» said Gardette after the race. The time, however, remains some way off the record set in 2002 by Stephen Stravens, which remains at 57 minutes and 51.62 seconds Taking second place was Jacquelin Languila in 1 hour 4 minutes and 23 seconds followed by Bertrand Lablache in 1 hour 7 minutes 14.99 seconds. The record holder Stravens came in sixth place, completing the race in 1 hour 11 minutes 53.83 seconds. Nine windsurfers competed in the event, all of them Seychellois, with only one of them not making it to the finish line. The foreign participants were in kite surfing and they were from Mauritius, Russia, and Poland and out of 10 only one did not finish the race. A Mauritian, Jean Leopold, won the event in 1 hr 13 minutes 20 seconds. Leopold took second place in the last event in 2022. He told reporters, «The conditions were very difficult with unpredictable winds, but it was good even though my legs started to hurt, but it was great.» Leopold added that this was a preparation for the Mauritius-Reunion race that he will soon compete in. Taking second place was Seychellois Neddy Radegonde in 1 hour 21 minutes 37.12 seconds and third was Sitraka Ramanantsoa, in a time of 1 hour 22 minutes and 22.95 seconds. New this year was wind foiling and the participants struggled in the waters of Seychelles. Both competitors in this category were the last to arrive at Grand Anse Praslin, where the races concluded. British participant Edward Paxton finished the race in 2 hours 47 minutes 51.58 seconds and South African Adam Delport was second, with a time of 3 hours 47 minutes 43.29 seconds.

Japan will have a fully-fledged embassy and a resident ambassador in Victoria, the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kamikawa Yoko, said during bilateral talks with  Seychelles' Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde. According to Seychelles' Foreign Affairs Department in a press release on Monday, this is part of the government of Japan's reaffirmation of its commitment to strengthen cooperation with Seychelles by upgrading its embassy in the island nation.  Japan's embassy is currently headed by a charge d'affaire. The bilateral talks between Radegonde and Kamikawa Yoko took place on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Japan from August 24 to 25. Discussions centered on shared interests, particularly in maritime security, Blue Economy, fisheries, and connectivity. Kamikawa highlighted the support provided by Japan in recent years, which included maritime law enforcement facilitated by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) to enhance maritime connectivity in the region. Radegonde welcomed Japan's commitment to remain a key partner in the various key sectors important to Seychelles and the Indian Ocean Commission. He also called on the Japanese government to continue to support Seychelles' capacity building through scholarships. Radegonde emphasised the importance of Japan's support for Seychelles in the areas of climate adaptation and resilience and requested Japan's assistance in advocating for the plight of small island developing states (SIDS). Since 1993, Japan has organised the TICAD international conference jointly with the United Nations, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, and the African Union Commission. The TICAD9 will be held in August next year. Meanwhile, as the President of the Council of Ministers of the Indian Ocean Commission,  Radegonde held discussions with the newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Union of Comoros, Mbae Mohamed. The two ministers reviewed the status of the bilateral relations between the Comoros and Seychelles and agreed to work together to continue to enhance those relations.  

An initiative to improve healthy marine life and ecosystems of wetland areas, by ensuring the flow of fresh and sea water in wetland areas, as a way of preventing pollution, has resulted in signs of recovery of the Baie Ternay wetland in the western part of the main island of Mahe. The rehabilitation works, aimed at diversifying the freshwater marsh ecosystem by reopening channels, improving the flow and exchange of salt and freshwater, and creating additional habitats for various species to thrive, have been completed after four months. Part of the government of Seychelles-GEF-UNDP «A Ridge to Reef Approach for the Integrated Management of Marine, Coastal, and Terrestrial Ecosystems in Seychelles» project, the rehabilitation work aims at improving the overall condition of the Baie Ternay Marine National Park. «The wetland area was not healthy because it had only one dominant species, and that is a clear indication that the area is not a healthy habitat.  There were also signs of low oxygen levels in the water, hypoxic water, in some areas in the marsh, which posed a major threat to the wildlife in the marsh,» explained Didier Dogley, the consultant overseeing the project, and also former environment minister. Under Dogley's guidance, a 6,000-square-meter wetland section underwent rehabilitation work.  «Projects like these are easy to plan on paper, but the final product needs to be adapted as you do the work. For instance, we had thought the wetland area would be flat, but with Cap Ternay, it was different,» added Dogley. Preliminary hydrological studies conducted before the project began also indicated that the water in the area was partially polluted, suggesting that it was not flushing out correctly. To tackle this issue, a 160-metre channel was dug to facilitate proper water circulation between the hills and the sea. Additionally, ferns were cleared to create more space for better water flow. The channel installed to facilitate proper circulation. (Programme & Development Coordination Section) Photo License: All Rights Reserved  Speaking on behalf of the Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA), a partner that facilitated the project, Nassirah Dorby said, «As the area falls under the Baie Ternay Marine National Park, we ensured compliance with our laws and regulations. The project has proceeded smoothly and aligns well with SPGA's conservation efforts.» The Baie Ternay Marine National Park is situated on the northwestern coast of Mahe in the Port Glaud district and borders the Morne Seychellois National Park. The park is a living national treasure containing an array of ecosystems, from wetlands, seagrass beds, mud flats, rocky shores, and coral reefs. Designated as a marine national park in June 1979, Baie Ternay also has one of the largest shallow seagrass beds on Mahe – the main island of Seychelles' archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. The seagrass beds act as a nursery for many species, including squid, a staple food for many fish, and a favourite resting place for the feathertail stingray. Other species that can be found in the park include lemon sharks, sea anemone fish, whale sharks, and pearl bubble coral. The next phase of rehabilitation involves replanting the coastal marsh area with native and endemic plants. In collaboration with the Seychelles Prison Services, an additional 6,000 square metres of ferns in and around the mangrove are expected to be cleared, creating better conditions for the reproduction, harvesting, and propagation of new mangrove seedlings. According to Dogley, the fruits of the project's labour are already evident, with various marine life emerging within the wetland area, signalling the positive impact of rehabilitation efforts. 

Australia gave millions of workers the legal right to «disconnect» on Monday, allowing them to ignore unreasonable out-of-hours contact from employers, to the distress of big industry. People can now «refuse to monitor, read, or respond to» their employers' attempts to contact them outside work hours -- unless that refusal is deemed «unreasonable». The law is similar to legislation in some European and Latin American countries. Unions welcomed the legislation, saying it gave workers a way to reclaim a level of work-life balance. «Today is a historic day for working people,» said Michele O'Neil, president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions. «The union movement has won the legal right for Australians to spend quality time with their loved ones without the stress of being forced to constantly answer unreasonable work calls and emails,» she said. «Australian unions have reclaimed the right to knock off after work.» But the reforms got a cool welcome from Australian industry. «The 'right to disconnect' laws are rushed, poorly thought out and deeply confusing,» the Australian Industry Group said in a statement. «At the very least, employers and employees will now be uncertain about whether they can take or make a call out of hours to offer an extra shift,» said the country's peak industry group. The law, enacted in February, came into force for medium-sized and large companies as of Monday. Smaller companies with fewer than 15 employees will be covered from August 26, 2025. «We encourage workplace participants to educate themselves on the right to disconnect and take a commonsense approach to applying it within their workplace,» said the head of Australia's workplace relations regulator, Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth. Under the law, workers may be ordered by a tribunal to stop unreasonably refusing out-of-hours contact, and employers likewise may be ordered to stop unreasonably requiring employees to respond, it said. The question of what is reasonable will «depend on the circumstances», the Fair Work Ombudsman said in a statement. Deciding factors may include the reason for the contact, the nature of the employee's role, and their compensation for working extra hours or being available, it said. France introduced the right to disconnect in 2017, hoping to tackle the «always on» culture facilitated by smartphones and other digital devices. © Agence France-Presse

Emissions-belching nations were challenged to stump up for climate-related damage as a key Pacific islands summit opened on Monday, with low-lying Tuvalu declaring: «If you pollute, you should pay.» The Pacific Islands Forum got underway in Tonga's capital Nuku'alofa, with leaders hoping to draw global attention to the region's worsening climate plight. «We really need to ensure that we continue to push for action from countries that are the most polluting,» Tuvalu Climate Minister Maina Talia told AFP on the sidelines of the summit. «Polluter pays should be on the table.» Pacific leaders will mount a renewed push later this week for a homegrown climate adaptation fund, an idea that largely hinges on financial contributions from foreign nations. They will also push to speed the transition away from oil, gas and other highly polluting fuel sources. «We cannot address climate change without addressing the root cause, which is the fossil fuel industry,» Talia said. «It's disaster after disaster, and we are losing the capacity to rebuild, to withstand another cyclone or another flood.» That is awkward terrain for forum member Australia, a coal-mining superpower belatedly trying to burnish its green credentials. Australia wants to co-host the COP31 climate conference alongside its Pacific neighbours in 2026. But first, it must convince the bloc it is serious about slashing emissions. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is making a rare appearance at the summit, in a trip designed to highlight the Pacific's myriad climate threats. «The decisions world leaders take in the coming years will determine the fate, first of Pacific Islanders, and then everyone else,» Guterres said. «If we save the Pacific, we save the world.» - Security split - Foreign dignitaries were briefly sent scuttling for cover when a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck off Tonga's coast early Monday. But no major damage or injuries were reported, and no tsunami warning was issued. The summit had earlier kicked off with melodic Tongan choir singers and dancing schoolchildren in traditional dress. Beneath the bonhomie, however, rare fissures have been forming in the 18-member bloc, with Pacific nations torn over China's security ambitions in the region. «We gather at a pivotal time in our region's history,» said forum secretary Baron Waqa, a former president of Nauru. «We are at the centre of global geopolitical interest.» China's interest, specifically, was evident long before Waqa's opening speech. Large «China Aid» signs were installed outside the newly built conference venue, a $25 million gift from Beijing. The United States, meanwhile, has dispatched senior diplomat Kurt Campbell to lead its forum delegation. Campbell has been one of the key figures behind a US-led push to keep China's Pacific ambitions in check. «We need to remain vigilant on issues of regional security,» warned Waqa, who has taken a dim view of the escalating Beijing-Washington rivalry in the past. - New Caledonia crisis - The other pressing security challenge facing Pacific leaders is the unresolved crisis in French territory New Caledonia, which reared its head on opening day. «We must reach consensus on our vision for a region of peace and security,» said Tongan Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni. «We must honour the vision of our forefathers regarding self determination, including in New Caledonia.» Much of New Caledonia's ethnically Melanesian Kanak population fears that recent voting reforms put forward by Paris could crush their dreams of independence. It is a cause that resonates widely in the Pacific bloc, which is stacked with former colonies now fiercely proud of their hard-won sovereignty. The fractious topic of deep-sea mining does not sit on any official agenda, but will likely be a topic of heated debate behind closed doors. Forum host Tonga sits at the vanguard of nations eager to open up the emerging industry, joined by fellow forum members Nauru and the Cook Islands. But others such as Samoa, Palau and Fiji see it as an environmental catastrophe in the making, giving their full-throated backing to an international moratorium. © Agence France-Presse

Israel launched air strikes into Lebanon on Sunday, saying that it had thwarted a large-scale Hezbollah attack, while the Lebanese group announced its own cross-border raids to avenge a top commander's killing. The Israeli military said its fighter jets had destroyed «thousands» of Hezbollah rocket launchers «aimed toward northern Israel and some were aimed toward central Israel», far from the border. Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed Lebanese armed group, countered that Israel was making «empty claims» of having thwarted a larger attack, and said its own operation for Sunday «was completed and accomplished». The office of the United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the UNIFIL peacekeeping force urged «all to cease fire and refrain from further escalatory action». Hezbollah said its leader Hassan Nasrallah was due to speak on the «latest developments» at 6:00 pm (1500 GMT). The group has traded near-daily cross-border fire with Israeli forces throughout the Gaza war, in a campaign Hezbollah says is in support of Palestinian ally Hamas. But fears of a wider regional conflagration soared after attacks in late July blamed on Israel killed Iran-aligned militant leaders, including Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, prompting vows of revenge. Hezbollah, which last fought a major war against Israel in 2006, said its militants launched «a large number of drones» and «more than 320» Katyusha rockets targeting «enemy positions» across the border. The Lebanese movement said its attack was an «initial response» to Shukr's killing, adding that it had «ended with total success», although the extent of the damage on the Israeli side was not immediately clear. Lebanon's health ministry reported at least three dead in Israeli strikes in the country's south. No casualties were immediately reported in Israel. - 'Larger attack' - Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said his country's strikes were meant «to remove the threats aimed at the citizens of Israel». Another military spokesman, Nadav Shoshani, said Hezbollah's strikes were «part of a larger attack that was planned and we were able to thwart a big part of it this morning». Israeli authorities declared a 48-hour state of emergency but later relaxed most of the restrictions. By 7:00 am (0400 GMT) flights had resumed at Israel's main international airport after a brief suspension, the aviation authority said. In Lebanon, Beirut airport did not close but some airlines, including Royal Jordanian and Etihad Airways, cancelled flights. Air France said it was suspending flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut for at least 24 hours. The United States, Israel's top arms provider, said its military was «postured» to support its ally. The Israel-Hamas war, triggered by Hamas's October 7 attack, had already drawn in Iran-backed groups like Hezbollah and Yemen's Huthi rebels. The Huthis hailed the Hezbollah attack and declared that their own response for an Israeli strike on a key Yemeni port on July 20 was «definitely coming». The fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah has killed hundreds, mostly in Lebanon, and displaced tens of thousands of residents in both southern Lebanon and northern Israel. Some 605 people have been killed on the Lebanese side, mostly Hezbollah fighters, but including at least 131 civilians, according to an AFP tally. On the Israeli side, including in the annexed Golan Heights, authorities say 23 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his security cabinet and vowed «to do everything to... return the residents of the north safely to their homes» after more than 10 months of violence. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati told an emergency cabinet meeting he was in contact with «Lebanon's friends to stop the escalation». In a call with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, his US counterpart Lloyd Austin reaffirmed «ironclad commitment to Israel's defence against any attacks by Iran and its regional partners and proxies», the Pentagon said. - Gaza talks - Shukr's death last month and an attack hours later that killed Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran ratcheted up concerns that the Gaza war could spiral into a broader conflict. Hamas said Hezbollah's Sunday attack was «strong», hailing it as «a slap in the face» for Israel. In recent weeks, Western and Arab diplomats have sought to head off a broader response to the killings, as mediators were making their latest push towards a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. An official from Netanyahu's office said a decision would be made later about whether Israeli spy chiefs would attend planned talks in Cairo on Sunday. Hamas has said a delegation would go to Cairo but only to meet Egyptian officials, rather than participate in the discussions. On the ground in the besieged Palestinian territory, an AFP correspondent reported strikes and shelling in Gaza City, where rescuers said at least three people were killed. Witnesses said battles raged in the area of Deir al-Balah, further south. Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,199 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 40,405 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which does not break down civilian and militant deaths. The UN rights office says most of the dead are women and children. Out of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian militants in their attack, 105 remain in Gaza including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. © Agence France-Presse

Since the time of the first French colonial settlers in the islands of Seychelles, the pirogue - a traditional vessel used with oars - was the key to the livelihood of many generations of fishermen and a means of transportation for some, but this is now almost extinct. Many of the Seychellois youngsters have either never seen one or do not know these boats' importance. Jonas Albert Victor, from Praslin, the second most populated island of Seychelles, used to earn his living by making pirogues for many years. SNA met Victor at his house to learn more about this part of Seychellois heritage, which is disappearing. The resident of St Joseph, a small community in the Grand Anse Praslin district, who celebrated his 85th birthday on August 3, recalled how growing up, life was very difficult so he pushed himself to acquire skills that could help him make a living at an early age. He is the eldest from a family of four but Victor did not live with his parents. Since he was three months old, he lived with his grandmother and her husband. «My adopted grandfather was a pirogue maker and since I grew up with him, I admired his skills and was fascinated by his work, thus I decided to try it.  I started making fish traps at the age of nine and accompanied him when he went fishing. It was fun and since we lived by the sea, I loved the sea,» Victor said. Aside from being a carpenter, Victor is also a mason and has done most of the work on his house himself. He has worked on a number of housing projects on the island. Victor, from Praslin, used to earn his living by making pirogues for many years. (Mandy Bertin) Photo License: All Rights Reserved  Building the pirogues Victor said he used any type of wood to build these boats as there were high demands for pirogues long ago. «At that time, it took me around one month or two to make a pirogue. I was employed at that time so I had to make these boats after my working hours. But after things in the country evolved and we started getting electrical tools, then it took me only around 11 days to make one on my own,» he explained. The size of a pirogue depended on the client and some wanted those of 15ft pirogues while others 12ft. It all depended on what they were going to use their pirogues for, some only for fishing and others for transportation only. Victor said that at the time day, a pirogue used to cost SCR100-SCR150 but then with much development and the introduction of fiberglass, the demand for pirogues reduced. «For raw materials needed to construct these boats, I did not find it difficult to get them compared to nowadays. There were special nails that we used and as for the wood, I preferred to use the Takamaka wood because it was found to be more durable,» he added. The last pirogue he made was almost 10 years ago, and it is now at Juan Pillay's residence at Grand Anse. Most pirogues were painted using a special black paint and at times white paint would be used to paint a thin layer on the upper part of the boat. Inside, there were two small decks at each end where people could sit and there were also two bench-like seats as well. Underneath them, people used to store their fish or other items. There were two holes in which the long paddles were inserted when they rowed their boats. «If we are at sea during a storm and you are in a fibreglass boat and I am in my pirogue, the pirogue will save your life. It is because the fibreglass boat will sink to the bottom while our good old pirogue even if it capsizes, it will not go down,» Victor said. Asked whether he was willing to make the pirogues today, he said, «Even if I could still be making these boats, I know I would have to face a few challenges such as finding a person to assist and availability of resources. Long ago, you could go and cut a tree at a neighbour's place and you did not have to pay for it or maybe for a very cheap price, but nowadays it will cost you quite a bit.» He added that materials «such as the nails we used back then are not readily available as there are no demands for them nowadays. But the truth is, I do miss making these boats. They were special to us and it is sad that along the way, we have forgotten about them. Pirogues were not just the boats we used to go fishing but they were also a helpful means of transportation for us islanders.» He said when larger vessels brought merchandise from Mahe to Praslin, pirogues were used to unload the goods to shore and they were used to transport people from Praslin to nearby islands such as Cousin, Cousine and Aride. «We have allowed it to fade away and it is sad that we have forgotten the useful and important position that these small boats played in our past,» Victor remarked. Many people who have visited the popular cultural site Domaine de Val des Pres on Mahe, the main island, might have seen a long black pirogue there built by the Praslinois himself. Victor still has many of his tools which he used over many decades to construct these pirogues. 

Sudan's de facto ruler, army chief  Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said Saturday his government would not join peace talks with rival paramilitaries in Switzerland, vowing instead to «fight for 100 years». «We will not go to Geneva... we will fight for 100 years,» Burhan, whose troops have been battling the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for over 16 months, told reporters in Port Sudan. The United States opened talks in Switzerland on August 14 aimed at easing the human suffering and achieving a lasting ceasefire. While an RSF delegation showed up, the Sudanese armed forces were unhappy with the format and did not attend, though they were in telephone contact with the mediators. The talks were co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and Switzerland, with the African Union, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and the United Nations completing the so-called Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan Group (ALPS). They wrapped up on Friday without a ceasefire but with progress on securing aid access on two key routes into the country, which is gripped by one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. The brutal conflict has forced one in five people to flee their homes, while tens of thousands have died. More than 25 million across Sudan -- more than half its population -- face acute hunger. © Agence France-Presse

The popular Mahe-Praslin windsurfing race in Seychelles is set for Monday, August 26, and will feature 30 competitors eager to brave the waves between the Seychelles' two largest islands. Alain Alcindor, the chairman of the organising committee, said, «We had originally scheduled it for this Saturday, but predictions show that they will now be enough wind on that day and so, we have moved it to Monday, where it is set to be more favourable for such as race.» For this year, there are three categories instead of two and aside from windsurfing, there will also be kitesurfing and windfoiling.  Wind foiling is a new form of windsurfing, in which the windsurfing board floats about 50 cm above the water instead of over the water. The race is expected to begin at 11 a.m. and participants will be hoping to beat the 22-year-old record of 51 minutes 62 seconds set by Stephen Stravens in 2002. Stravens will be one of the competitors for this year's event, and he could be the one to break his record. The last time the race was held was in 2022 and the winner was Jean-Marc Gardette who won the 44km race in 1 hour, 5 minutes and 19 seconds. Jacquelin Languilla finished second, and Jules Kandasamy, who was 13 years old then, was third. This year's race will again see participants from Mauritius competing in the event, after which they will also be able to compete in the Praslin Slalom. The Praslin Slalom will take place at Grand Anse Praslin in the area where the Mahe to Praslin race will end. It will take place for three days, from Wednesday to Friday, and on Saturday the prize giving and closing ceremony will take place. As always, safety remains a priority for the event, with various partners aiding the Seychelles Yachting Association (SYA) in ensuring that everything runs smoothly and that the event is again a success. Cable and Wireless Seychelles is sponsoring the SIM cards that will used in the Grade Point Average bracelets, which will give the location of each athlete. The event began in 1982 when a group of six windsurfers, which included Patrick Lablache, Gerard Lafortune, Evans Calva, Bernard Sanders, Jimmy Mein and Marc Magnan, decided to attempt the crossing. Since then, it has been a major highlight of local surfing, with many surfers taking on the challenge.   

The Seychelles Port Authority (SPA) is now responsible for managing the plots of reclaimed land  that the Ile Du Port Handling Services (IPHS) operates on. This comes after the Cabinet of Ministers approved finalising the lease agreement that exists between the company and the government, in its last meeting - including the sub-leases for four specific plots of land. IPHS came about in 2014 as a public-private partnership entity with the Seychelles' government, the foreign investor Jaccar Holdings and Seychellois investors as shareholders. The company started its operations two years later. The original arrangement was to have it in the fishing port offering services to fishing vessels such as utilities, stevedoring services and net repairs among others. However, despite operations taking off, the lease for the land IPHS was located on was yet to be signed. Vice President Ahmed Afif said in a press briefing on Thursday that IPHS had gone on to reclaim two additional plots of land. Presently the area is around 15,000 square metres and this includes the land that the government has reclaimed together with that of IPHS. «We agreed to finalise an issue that has been dragging on for the last seven years, what we have seen is that the investors have reclaimed land while there is no lease between the IPHS, the Seychelles Port Authority and the government,» explained Afif. He added that this was due to the parties concerned not agreeing on a tariff. The Vice President said the Cabinet's decision to take the measures is «crucial for resolving ongoing legal and operational challenges, allowing IPHS to expand its infrastructure, improve staff welfare, and potentially reduce costs for the Seychelles' fishing sector». «We felt it important to establish a sense of order in the situation, which is why we have decided that all the land is SPA's responsibility,» he added. The new agreement ensures that the authority is responsible for the technical aspects that were causing confusion to all those involved in the deal, such as who was responsible for security in the area and utilities supply. «Today we find ourselves in a situation where there are certain expenses IPHS should pay for that it has withheld payment for,» expanded Afif. As a result of formalising the agreement, IPHS will only pay a nominal charge for the first 15 years of its lease - of which it has already paid seven. After that, all parties concerned will negotiate a commercial rate for IPHS to pay for the remaining 15 years of its lease. Its activities in the port will remain the same, which is mainly unloading fishing vessels, repairs and net repairs. «However the company has said it wants to modernise its services and use the land it is leasing to the maximum,» added Afif. The formalisation of the lease also makes it easier for IPHS to look for financing for its projects at a favourable rate.

Seychelles has been ranked as the most attractive country for investors on the African continent for 2024 on the 'Where To Invest In Africa' report published by the investment department of South Africa's second largest bank, First National Bank (FNB), earlier this month. The ranking is based on the investigation of 20 indicators that are divided into four groups. These are the current economic performance and economic potential, market accessibility and level of innovation, economic stability and investment climate and the social conditions and human capital development. The experts at FNB studied the investment opportunities of 31 out of the 54 nations that make up the continent, and Seychelles has ranked first ahead of its neighbour Mauritius, which is in second place. Egypt, South Africa and Morocco make up the top five, from third to fifth respectively. It was in these three nations who topped the list in 2021. The two island nations managed to take over the top spot, after the focus turned away from population size and overall wealth, to focus more on personal freedom and human development. According to the report, Seychelles leads the ranking because of its high level of personal freedom, human development and economic environment, scoring high also due to its connectivity and economic stability. Mauritius scored the most points for its innovations and growth opportunities. The top 10 list also features from sixth to 10th, respectively, namely Ghana, Tunisia, Senegal, Nigeria, and Algeria. Based on common traits found in the four measuring pillars, Invest in Africa offers five possible investment archetypes. «Highflyers» are big, established economies like Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, and Ethiopia that provide stability and a variety of investment prospects. Senegal and Ivory Coast are among the nations that are considered «Cleared for Take-off» because of their youthful populations and wealth of natural resources. These nations have strong potential for economic growth and innovation. «People Potential» markets, like Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda, have a young and expanding population that will provide a sizeable consumer base and a future labour force. «Global Connectors» include nations like Morocco, Mauritius, Tunisia, and Seychelles that have more developed economies and a significant global footprint. «Low-Base Boomers» refers to tiny markets, such as Rwanda, Mozambique, and Benin, that have a higher degree of risk but also a significant potential for explosive expansion. 

The number of usage of a digital wallet called «eboo,» launched in Seychelles in January by Nebula FinTech Limited, has surpassed expectations, said a top official of the company. Eboo is an instant payment service based in Seychelles and offers an eWallet service that allows users to make instantaneous payments. It is a digital platform designed to facilitate both customer and merchant transactions, providing a convenient alternative to cash and traditional banking methods. The chief technology officer at Nebula Fintech Limited, Nicholas Cetoupe, told SNA that at the moment the number of usage of the app within the population is more than what they expected, and they are hopeful that more people will start using eboo regularly. Cetoupe said, «The app allows you to make payments to friends and businesses, split bills and even pay your Cable and Wireless (CWS) bills. If you use CWS as a mobile network provider, it does not use any of your data consumption and it even clears your bill instantly. All you have to do is dial #155*4# and it will provide you with your customer number and bill amount, which is all the information you need to put into the eboo app.» He explained that eboo works as an eWallet in a closed loop system accessed via the app on a smartphone and that the app is simple so anyone above the age of 18 with a smartphone can use it.  «We have one app for individuals - who have no fees and another for merchants who carry a competitive rate. Since eboo is in a closed loop, the payments are truly instantaneous and allows the recipient to receive the money within seconds of tapping pay. It does not matter what bank you are or what telephone provider you use,» he added. Cetoupe emphasised that security is a priority for them and eboo is a secure digital payment platform that prioritises user protection through advanced security measures. It employs encryption, two-factor authentication, and secure login options like biometric verification to safeguard user data and transactions. Additionally, he said that eboo continuously monitors for suspicious activity and complies with financial regulations, ensuring a safe environment for digital payments in Seychelles. On the usage so far, he said, «It is going well. We had anticipated a learning curve for the population, but activity on our app shows that people are using it. We have over 30 merchants now and conducting testing with the biggest supermarket in Seychelles. We believe that the usage of eboo is on the rise. We even have promotions with merchants such as WiFi Plus, Vitality and Non-Stop Supply, who are offering promotions only if you pay through the eboo app.» Moving forward the company has several huge projects and is «liaising with the government to see how we can contribute to them achieving the digital mandate, with big supermarkets and small businesses alike. We have new features coming out and some big collaborations to look out for. We are very excited for our people in Seychelles to understand how eboo can change their lives and efficiency in their businesses.» 

Kamala Harris on Thursday accepted the Democratic presidential nomination, telling a roaring crowd of supporters that she would chart «a new way forward.» «On behalf of the people, on behalf of every American, regardless of party, race, gender or the language your grandmother speaks... I accept your nomination,» the vice president said. Acknowledging that not all people listening were supporters, Harris said the November election against Donald Trump is «a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past, a chance to chart a new way forward -- not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans.» «I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations,» she said. «The future is always worth fighting for. And that's the fight we are in right now. A fight for America's future.» © Agence France-Presse