China sent three astronauts to its Tiangong space station on Tuesday, putting a civilian into orbit for the first time as it pursues plans to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2030. The world's second-largest economy has invested billions of dollars in its military-run space programme in a push to catch up with the United States and Russia. The Shenzhou-16 crew took off atop a Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China at 9:31 am (0131 GMT), AFP journalists saw. They docked at the space station's Tianhe core module on Tuesday afternoon, more than six hours after taking off, state broadcaster CCTV said. The launch was a «complete success» and the «astronauts are in good condition», said Zou Lipeng, director of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Dozens of employees from the space programme, many of whom live year-round on the huge site, attended the launch, snapping selfies with the rocket in the background. Children played as they waited for the launch, some waving Chinese flags as they sat on their parents' shoulders. Spectators let out a loud «wow», shouting «good luck» and waving as the rocket took off in a cloud of ochre smoke. Leading its crew is commander Jing Haipeng on his fourth mission, as well as engineer Zhu Yangzhu and Beihang University professor Gui Haichao, the first Chinese civilian in space. China was the third country to put humans in orbit and Tiangong is the crown jewel of its space programme, which has also landed robotic rovers on Mars and the Moon. Shenzhou-16 is the first mission to Tiangong since it entered its «application and development» stage, authorities said. The crew will meet their three colleagues from the Shenzhou-15 flight, who have been at the station for six months and who will return to Earth in the coming days. Shenzhou-16's crew will carry out a number of experiments during the mission, including in «high-precision space time-frequency systems», general relativity, and into the origin of life, China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) spokesperson Lin Xiqiang told reporters on Monday. The space station was resupplied with drinking water, clothing, food and propellant this month in preparation for Shenzhou-16's arrival. One expert told AFP that Tuesday's mission represented «a regular crew rotation flight», but even that was significant. «Accumulating depth of experience in human spaceflight operations is important and doesn't involve new spectacular milestones all the time,» said Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer and astrophysicist at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. - 'Heavenly palace' - China's «space dream» has been put into overdrive under President Xi Jinping, and the construction of a moon base is planned. «The overall goal is to achieve China's first crewed landing on the Moon by 2030 and carry out lunar scientific exploration and related technological experiments,» the CMSA's Lin said. The final module of Tiangong -- which means «heavenly palace» -- successfully docked with the core structure last year. The station carries several pieces of cutting-edge scientific equipment, state news agency Xinhua reported, including «the world's first space-based cold atomic clock system». Tiangong is expected to remain in low Earth orbit at an altitude between 400 and 450 kilometres (250 and 280 miles) for at least 10 years. It is constantly crewed by rotating teams of three astronauts. China has been effectively excluded from the International Space Station since 2011, when the United States banned NASA from engaging with the country -- pushing Beijing to develop its own orbital outpost. China's space agency reiterated on Monday it is actively seeking international cooperation in the project. China plans to send two crewed space missions to Tiangong every year, according to the CMSA. The next will be Shenzhou-17, with an expected launch in October. © Agence France-Presse

Long-time political kingmaker Bola Tinubu was sworn in as Nigerian president on Monday, succeeding Muhammadu Buhari, a former general who stepped down after two terms in office. The 71-year-old southerner takes over from the 80-year-old northerner as Africa's most populous nation faces a sea of economic troubles and a security crisis. «As president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria I will discharge my duties and perform my functions honestly to the best of my ability, faithfully and in accordance with the constitution,» Tinubu said, in a live broadcast from the capital Abuja's Eagle Square. Foreign leaders and representatives present at the ceremony included presidents Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana as well as delegations from the US, Britain and China. Kashim Shettima was sworn in as vice president, taking over from Yemi Osinbajo. The ruling party duo were declared winners of the February 25 election, gaining 8.8 million votes and picking up the required number of ballots across two-thirds of Nigeria's states. The main opposition leader Atiku Abubakar, who came second, and outsider Peter Obi, who was third, are contesting the results in court, claiming fraud. The electoral commission has acknowledged «glitches» during the vote but dismissed claims that the process was not free and fair. Dubbed a political «godfather», Tinubu campaigned saying «it's my turn» to govern Nigeria, Africa's biggest economy. He touted his experience as Lagos governor from 1999 to 2007 -- a period that, supporters say, modernised Lagos, Nigeria's business hub. But the new president also faces corruption allegations, which he denies, and questions over his health. © Agence France-Presse

With the aim of creating a comprehensive database on the work and status of artists in Seychelles, that will be accessible to all locally and internationally, the Creative Seychelles Agency (CSA) is launching a national census soon. Through the State of Artists Census, the agency will collect details such as the form of art the person is involved in, the number of years the person has been practicing the art form, and if the individual is practicing the art full-time or part-time amongst other details. It is expected to take a year to complete the census. The executive director of the agency, Emmanuel D'Offay, said in a press conference on Tuesday that «the census is very important for us, as it will provide us with all the information that we need so as to know the state of arts and of artists in the country.» «We often find ourselves in situations, where, especially on an international level, we get a lot of demands for specific artists, and we do not know all artists in that specific field. So if we are aware of only one person who does jazz, for example, we are always sending that one person overseas, and other artists complain,» explained D'Offay. He said that the database to be compiled after the census will tackle this problem. «Each artist, regardless of the art form they practice, must make it their responsibility to participate in this census,» added D'Offay.  Once the census is launched, artists can access the form online on the Creative Seychelles Agency Facebook page, the National Arts and Craft Council of Seychelles website as well as that of the Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts. During the census, a team of people, led by Jany Letourdie, a well-known Seychellois singer, will be responsible for the collection of information. She will go to districts and do the necessary to ensure that we get the maximum of artists to partake in the census. «As an artist myself, I already know quite a number of artists. We can go through associations as well, put out adverts, and word of mouth. We will make announcements when we are going to different districts,» said Letourdie. Once the information is collected, it will be handed to Sybil Labrosse, who will compile the information in the database, which will later be placed online on the upcoming CSA website. CSA will then be able to establish the number of artists at each level of professionalism. Post-census, the agency will meet up with artists to provide training and talks, to provide information on diverse areas in the creative field, such as making it to the international scene, the need to have managers, and having a retirement plan.  «Anyone with a sense of creativity can become an artist, but not everyone can be placed in the same category or level. So this census will allow us to be able to establish if an artist is a professional, an amateur, or debutant amongst other categories,» said D'Offay. The census will also provide statistics to hold talks with banks and insurance companies among others to find ways to better serve artists in the country.

Seychelles' men's national football team will face a tough test in the 2023 Hollywoodbets Cosafa Cup in Durban after having been drawn in the group with the title-holder Zambia. The Seychelles' side is in group  B with Zambia, Malawi, and Comoros. While Comoros is a known opponent from the Indian Ocean neighbour, the team's biggest test will be against defending and record champions of the tournament, Zambia. Zambia were the inaugural winner of the competition in 1997, and along with Zimbabwe, have won it a record six times each. Malawi, a two-time finalist, will also be a tough test for the Seychellois side. For Seychelles, this competition has always been a tough one, with the team only ever winning once, and that was on penalties against Namibia in 2006. At the time, in the group stages, four teams competed in a straight knockout and Seychelles' win put them in the group C final, where they lost 2-0 to eventual champions, Zambia. Group A comprises South Africa, Namibia, Eswatini, and Botswana, and group C is made up of Mozambique, Angola, Mauritius and Lesotho. Two top teams from each group will advance to the last-four stage, along with the best-placed runner-up. The competition's format has changed for this year and there will be 12 teams from the region divided into three pools of four teams each. The previous format had two groups of four teams while six other teams joined at the quarterfinal stage. According to the oganisers, the new format will ensure that a team plays a minimum of three games and allows for an extra day's rest between most pool games. The pool games in Durban will take place from July 5-12, while the semi-finals will be on July 14. The final and third-place play-offs are scheduled for two days later. Seychellois Suketu Patel named Cosafa honorary president At the ceremony, Seychellois Suketu Patel, a former president of the Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) was named honorary president of Cosafa. Patel said this is definitely a sign that his contributions have been appreciated. (Mervyn Marie, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY Patel, who also served as vice president of the African Football Confederation (CAF), received the award at the Cosafa annual general meeting in South Africa, where the draw for the Cosafa Cup also took place. The vice president of the SFF, Dolor Ernesta, received the award on behalf of Patel from the hands of Zambian Breda Kunda, chairperson of the Cosafa women's committee. Patel told SNA that «when I was in the position I did my best and this is definitely a sign that our contributions have been appreciated.»   «I do feel good to be given this title, but when I was doing that job it was not to be given any honours, but to ensure the development of football in the region,» he added. Salemane Phafane from Lesotho and Adam Mthethwa from Eswatini were awarded honorary vice-president status, while Ashford Mamelodi of Botswana was named as an honorary secretary general. The Cosafa is an annual tournament for teams from Southern Africa organised by the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA). It started after the ban against South Africa was lifted and the country was able to host the African Cup of Nations in 1996. 

The President of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, has sent a congratulatory message to his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Turkey,  on his successful re-election, State House said on Monday. «The people of Turkey have yet again given you a strong mandate as a reaffirmation of their confidence in your leadership,» said Ramkalawan in his message. In acknowledging the long history of cooperation and excellent diplomatic relations between the two countries, Ramkalwan expressed his hope for further collaboration between Seychelles and Turkey for the benefit of both countries. Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, established diplomatic relations with Turkey in 1995. Ramkalwan wished  President Erdoğan continued good health as well as every success in his task ahead. According to CNN, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won Turkey's presidential election, defeating opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu in Sunday's runoff vote and stretching his rule into a third decade. Erdogan won 52.14 percent of the votes in the 99.43 percent of the votes counted.  

The Seychelles' Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) and the Department of Energy are currently assessing prospective government buildings to install photovoltaic panels, said a top official. These are the latest steps Seychelles is taking towards achieving 15 percent renewable penetration by 2030 and the greater vision of hitting net-zero emissions by 2050. «We are assessing whether the earmarked institutions' roofs can sustain having the panels,» the Principal Secretary for Energy and Climate Change, Tony Imaduwa, told SNA. Among the buildings being assessed are health centres, police stations and other government offices to see if their roofs can hold the PV systems first of all. The assessment is on energy consumption and whether the grid can integrate them as well as if there are plans to carry out renovation work on the buildings. «It will not make sense to install the panel on a building such as a police station that will be undergoing renovations soon,» explained Imaduwa. Seychelles has received funding from an Indian government grant to support a programme to install PV systems on government buildings. Additional funding has been added to next year's budget to ensure the completion of the second phase. The first phase of the installation of PV panels on certain government buildings is completed and the Department of Energy has started work for the second phase. The Barbarbarons emergency housing estate in the west of Mahe, the main island, and the National Assembly building at Ile du Port are some of the buildings included in the first phase. «We started this programme some years back under the PV democratisation project. Through the ongoing project, more government buildings will be identified,» said Imaduwa. Meanwhile, to complement this program, the Department is also running one for schools under the Solar School Project partly funded by the Chinese government. «So far we have covered schools on La Digue and Praslin and some on Mahe,» explained Imaduwa. Currently, the largest PV panel is on the roof of the Central Bank building in Victoria. Seychelles -- a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean -- relies heavily on imported fossil fuel for power generation and transportation. Currently, only 2.5 percent of the island nation's electrical energy is from renewable sources.

Haiti, the Sahel and Sudan now rank among the UN's highest alert areas for food insecurity, requiring «urgent» action from the international community, food agencies warned Monday. The Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) said Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen remain at the highest alert level. And now Haiti, the Sahel -- Burkina Faso and Mali -- and the Sudan join them, the agencies said in a joint report. The move follows the severe restrictions on movement of people and goods in jihadist-hit Burkina Faso and Mali as well as crisis-wracked Haiti, and the recent outbreak of conflict in Sudan, the report said. All hotspots at the highest level have «communities facing or projected to face starvation, or at risk of sliding towards catastrophic conditions,» it said, adding that they required «the most urgent attention». The report spotlights the risk of a spillover of the Sudan crisis, and says a likely El Nino climatic phenomenon is raising fears of climate extremes in vulnerable countries around the globe. El Nino is the large-scale warming of surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. The «expected shift in climate patterns will have significant implications for several hotspots», the report warned. Those include «below-average rains in the Dry Corridor of Central America», and potentially «consecutive extreme climatic events hitting areas of the Sahel and the Horn of Africa», it said. © Agence France-Presse

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appealed for national unity Monday after winning a historic runoff election that extended two decades of his transformative but divisive rule until 2028. The 69-year-old overcame Turkey's worst economic crisis in a generation and the most powerful opposition alliance to ever face his Islamic-rooted party on his way to his toughest election win. Streets erupted in car-honking jubilation and tributes poured in from across the world as Turkey's most important leader in modern history led a sea of supporters in celebratory song outside his presidential palace in Ankara. «We should come together in unity and solidarity,» Erdogan told the chanting and flag-waving crowd. «We call for this with all our heart.» Near-complete results showed Erdogan beating secular opposition challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu by four percentage points. «I look forward to continuing to work together as NATO Allies on bilateral issues and shared global challenges,» US President Joe Biden tweeted as Erdogan spoke. UN chief Antonio Guterres said through a spokesman that he «looks forward to further strengthening the cooperation between Turkiye and the United Nations», using an alternate spelling for Turkey. Russia's Vladimir Putin said the outcome showed the support for Erdogan's «efforts to strengthen state sovereignty and pursue an independent foreign policy». Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky said he wanted to keep working with Erdogan «for the security and stability of Europe». Leaders across Europe and the Arab world also sent their congratulations -- as did former US president Donald Trump. Traffic on Istanbul's iconic Taksim Square ground to a halt and huge crowds of singing and flag-waving supporters gathered across Turkey. «Our people chose the right man,» 17-year-old Nisa Sivaslioglu said in the Turkish capital. «I expect Erdogan to add more to the good things he has already done for our country.» - Longest-serving leader - Turkey's longest-serving leader was tested like never before in what was widely seen as the country's most consequential election in its 100-year history as a post-Ottoman republic. Kilicdaroglu pushed Erdogan into Turkey's first runoff on May 14 and narrowed the margin further in the second round. Opposition supporters viewed it as a do-or-die chance to save Turkey from being turned into an autocracy by a man whose consolidation of power rivals that of Ottoman sultans. Kilicdaroglu's brief concession statement expressed «real sadness about the big difficulties awaiting the country» with Erdogan. The opposition leader had re-emerged a transformed man after the first round. The 74-year-old former civil servant's message of social unity and freedoms gave way to desk-thumping speeches about the need to immediately expel migrants and fight terrorism. His right-wing turn was targeted at nationalists who emerged as the big winners of the parallel parliamentary elections. Analysts doubted Kilicdaroglu's gamble would work. His informal alliance with a pro-Kurdish party, which Erdogan portrays as the political wing of banned militants, left him exposed to charges of working with «terrorists». And Kilicdaroglu's courtship of Turkey's hard right was hampered by the endorsement Erdogan received from an ultra-nationalist who finished third two weeks ago. «Erdogan played the nationalist card quite skilfully,» Chatham House associate fellow Galip Dalay told AFP. «The opposition could not come out with an alternative agenda item that could overshadow (Erdogan's) narrative, despite the fact that Turkey is experiencing a very bad economic situation.» - Champion of poor - Erdogan is lionised by poorer and more rural swathes of Turkey's fractured society because of his promotion of religious freedoms and modernisation of once-dilapidated cities in the Anatolian heartland. But he has caused growing consternation across the Western world because of his crackdowns on dissent and pursuit of a muscular foreign policy. He launched military incursions into Syria that infuriated European powers and put Turkish soldiers on the opposite side of Kurdish forces supported by the United States. His personal relationship with Putin has also survived the Kremlin's war on Ukraine. Turkey's troubled economy is benefiting from a crucial deferment of payment on Russian energy imports that helped Erdogan spend lavishly on campaign pledges this year. Erdogan also delayed Finland's membership of NATO and is still refusing to let Sweden join the US-led defence bloc. - 'Day of reckoning' - Turkey's unravelling economy will pose the most immediate test for Erdogan. He went through a series of central bankers to find one who would enact his wish to slash interest rates at all costs in 2021. Turkey's currency soon entered freefall and the annual inflation rate touched 85 percent last year. Erdogan has promised to continue these policies and rejected analysts' predictions of economic peril. Turkey burned through tens of billions of dollars trying to support the lira from politically sensitive falls ahead of the vote. Many analysts say Turkey must now hike interest rates or abandon its attempts to support the lira. «The day of reckoning for Turkey's economy and financial markets may now just be around the corner,» analysts at Capital Economics warned. © Agence France-Presse

The Rovers Football Club under 10 selection will represent Seychelles at the Madewis Cup Super Final football competition in Bastia, France, the club said on Saturday. The Seychelles' side, which left on Monday, is made up of talented young Seychellois players chosen from schools all throughout the nation based on their technical football skills. The team is led by head coach Rupert Pool and academy director Lucas Panayi, and has trained three to four times a week prior to their departure. The Madewis Cup Super Final, a prominent football competition in France, attracts more than 12,000 amateur children ages 6 to 13. The head coach said, «We are thrilled to be competing in an international tournament of such prestige with some of the best teams in Europe.» He added that this «will be a huge challenge but one the players have been working hard to prepare for. We are excited to see how they will perform but most importantly we are excited to provide them with this opportunity and valuable experience for their continued football development.» The Rovers left Seychelles on Monday heading to Marseille for a training camp. (Rovers FC) Photo License: All Rights Reserved  At last year's tournament, Seychelles fielded two teams, competing in the under 10 and under 12 categories.   According to the Rovers management, the Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) did not have the budget to send teams to the tournament, so the team sought funding from their local sponsors.    The Rovers left Seychelles on Monday heading to Marseille for a training camp, before playing at the tournament from June 1-4 at the Stade Armand Cesari. The Seychelles' side has been drawn in Pool A, together with Olympique Lyonnais, AC Ajaccio, ES Trinite Lyon, Marignane Gignac, and Rosieres OS. Pool B comrpises of Marseille, Bastia, Metz, US Creteil Lusitanos, Merignac Arlac and Boulogne Billancourt. The young players are expected to play short 12-minute matches on half of the regular pitch, with each team fielding eight players. Some of the professional players involved in the Madewis Cup in the past include Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar, Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte. After the tournament, the team will spend a day in the famous academy of Zinedine Zidane, where they will train and play together with their French counterparts before returning to Seychelles on June 8.  

Turkish polling stations closed Sunday in a historic runoff election that could extend President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's two decades of dominant but divisive Islamic style of rule until 2028. The NATO member's longest-serving leader defied critics and doubters by emerging with a comfortable lead against his secular challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu in the first round on May 14. Kilicdaroglu cobbled together a powerful coalition that grouped Erdogan's disenchanted former allies with secular nationalists and religious conservatives. Opposition supporters viewed it as a do-or-die chance to save Turkey from being turned into an autocracy by a man whose consolidation of power rivals that of Ottoman sultans. «I invite all my citizens to cast their ballot in order to get rid of this authoritarian regime and bring true freedom and democracy to this country,» Kilicdaroglu said after casting his ballot in Turkey's first presidential runoff. Erdogan's almost five-point first-round lead came in the face of one of the world's worst cost-of-living crises -- and with almost every opinion poll predicting his defeat. The 69-year-old looked tired but at ease as he voted with his wife Emine in a conservative district of Istanbul. «I ask my citizens to turn out and vote without complacency,» Erdogan said. Emir Bilgin heeded the Turkish leader's call. «I'm going to vote for Erdogan. There's no one else like him,» the 24-year-old said from a working-class Istanbul neighbourhood where the young future president grew up playing street football. - Opposition gamble - Kilicdaroglu re-emerged a transformed man after the first round. The former civil servant's message of social unity and freedoms gave way to desk-thumping speeches about the need to immediately expel migrants and fight terrorism. His right-wing turn was targeted at nationalists who emerged as the big winners of the parallel parliamentary elections. The 74-year-old had always adhered to the firm nationalist principles of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk -- a revered military commander who formed Turkey and Kilicdaroglu's secular CHP party. But these had played a secondary role to his promotion of socially liberal values practised by younger voters and big-city residents. Analysts question whether Kilicdaroglu's gamble will work. His informal alliance with a pro-Kurdish party that Erdogan portrays as the political wing of banned militants left him exposed to charges of working with «terrorists». And Kilicdaroglu's courtship of Turkey's hard right was hampered by the endorsement Erdogan received from an ultra-nationalist who finished third two weeks ago. Some opposition supporters sounded defeated after emerging from the polls. «Today is not like the last time. I was more excited then,» Bayram Ali Yuce said in one of Istanbul's heavily anti-Erdogan neighbourhoods. «The outcome seems more obvious now. But I still voted.» - Champion of poor - Erdogan is lionised by poorer and more rural swathes of Turkey's fractured society because of his promotion of religious freedoms and modernisation of once-dilapidated cities in the Anatolian heartland. «It was important for me to keep what was gained over the past 20 years in Turkey,» company director Mehmet Emin Ayaz told AFP in Ankara. «Turkey isn't what it was in the old days. There is a new Turkey today,» the 64-year-old said. But Erdogan has caused growing consternation across the Western world because of his crackdowns on dissent and pursuit of a muscular foreign policy. He launched military incursions into Syria that infuriated European powers and put Turkish soldiers on the opposite side of Kurdish forces supported by the United States. His personal relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin has also survived the Kremlin's war on Ukraine. Turkey's troubled economy is benefiting from a crucial deferment of payment on Russian energy imports that helped Erdogan spend lavishly on campaign pledges this year. Erdogan also delayed Finland's membership of NATO and is still refusing to let Sweden join the US-led defence bloc. - 'Day of reckoning' - Turkey's unravelling economy will pose the most immediate test for whoever wins the vote. Erdogan went through a series of central bankers to find one who would enact his wish to slash interest rates at all costs in 2021 -- flouting conventional economics in the belief that lower rates can cure chronically high inflation. Turkey's currency soon entered freefall and the annual inflation rate touched 85 percent last year. Erdogan has promised to continue these policies and rejected predictions of economic peril from analysts. Turkey burned through tens of billions of dollars trying to support the lira from politically sensitive falls ahead of the vote. Many analysts say Turkey must now hike interest rates or abandon its attempts to support the lira. «The day of reckoning for Turkey's economy and financial markets may now just be around the corner,» analysts at Capital Economics warned. © Agence France-Presse

The new president of the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), Marie-May Jeremie from Seychelles, has pledged to raise the profile of the organisation in her country and ensure that the islanders are aware of its potential benefits. Top on her agenda is to push for small island developing states (SIDS) to build their own scientific and research capabilities. The scientist - with over 15 years of experience in biodiversity conservation - assumed her position at WIOMSA in February this year. Jeremie is the second Seychellois and the first woman from the island nation to be elected as head of WIOMSA.  Her election took place at the WIOMSA 8th board of trustees at the association's 44th board meeting in Kenya. SNA caught up with Jeremie, who currently also heads the Seychelles Climate Change Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT), to find out more about her role, priorities, as well as her agenda in ensuring that Seychelles – 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean – benefits to the maximum from the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association.   SNA: Prior to heading WIOMSA and SeyCATT, what was your journey in the environmental and conservation field? MMJ: Over the past 12 years, I have been active in conservation works both at governmental and non-governmental organisation platforms. I am a seasoned negotiator on multilateral environmental agreements including but not limited to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Nairobi Convention, CITES and Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). Over the years I served on many boards in the environment, conservation and resource management sectors. Before joining SeyCCAT, I was the director general for Biodiversity Conservation and Management Division in the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture where I focused on the establishment and implementation of all biodiversity related policies and legislation. I was policy lead for ocean governance including the work on the Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan.   SNA: What does WIOMSA do? MMJ: The Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) was established as a regional non-profit membership organisation in 1993, and registered in Zanzibar, Tanzania in 1994 and in South Africa in 2014 as a non-governmental organisation. WIOMSA has mandates for scientific research, capacity building and professional development, information dissemination, and linking science to governance processes. The association is governed by a board of trustees that has representation by small islands developing states, mainland Africa, and associate members.   SNA:  How were you involved with WIOMSA before being elected? MMJ: Working with the Ministry of Environment, I first got involved with WIOMSA through my engagements with the Nairobi Convention. Then I personally developed interest in the research ongoing work and joined as an individual member of the association.  WIOMSA is also a partner and has supported the work of SeyCCAT as well. I was recommended to stand as a board member early in 2022 and I decided to go for it. Jeremie (2nd left) was among Seychelles' delegation at the United Nations high seas agreement negotiations. (IISDENB Mike Muzurakis Team) Photo License: All Rights Reserved   SNA: What are your responsibilities now as president? MMJ: As board president, I will be the new spokesperson of the association and will be responsible for the oversight of the overall conduct of the organisation's business. I will preside over the AGM and all the members of the association, lead board meetings and where necessary represent the association in different fora. Also, I will provide oversight on the work of the executive secretary and the work of the secretariat of WIOMSA.   SNA: What are your priorities? MMJ: I aspire to bring an interdisciplinary approach to WIOMSA, one that will be focused on bridging the science-to-policy interface in ensuring that countries in the western Indian Ocean region, particularly the small island states, build their own scientific and research capabilities to steer ocean governance. Seychelles and the other island states in the western Indian Ocean have traditionally not benefited as much through the WIOMSA platforms. It will, therefore, be my aim to help identify talents, and bring opportunities to build capacity for meaningful research in the region.   SNA: How will Seychelles benefit from WIOMSA? MMJ: Seychelles has a few institutions and individuals that are already members of WIOMSA, however this is minimal. The intent is to raise the profile of WIOMSA in Seychelles and make Seychelles aware of the potential benefit and collaboration pathways that exist. Early career scientists can also stand to benefit more directly under funding and capacity building support from the Association.    SNA: How do you describe Seychelles compared to other countries where marine conservation is concerned? MMJ: Seychelles is a leader in ocean conservation within the western Indian Ocean region, even at the global level, and it is for this very reason that Seychelles is very well respected for its efforts in particular for its Marine Spatial Plan, the designation of over 30% of its Exclusive Economic Zone as its Marine Protected Areas, and more recently, for intentionally developing research programs to support ocean governance.   SNA: How do you plan to use this new opportunity to advance the Blue Economy agenda of the Seychelles? MMJ: The Blue Economy is also a regional priority and as such is of the priority areas for research and development for WIOMSA. Efforts will be at the regional level, research and capacity development is the main space where WIOMSA can help contribute. 

Pope Francis has a fever that caused him to clear his schedule on Friday morning, the Vatican said, nearly two months after the 86-year-old pontiff was hospitalised with bronchitis. «Due to a feverish state, Pope Francis did not receive an audience this morning,» said Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, without giving more details. It was unclear who the pope had been expected to meet with, as his agenda was not made public on Friday, as is customary. Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin blamed the pontiff's busy schedule, saying he was tired. «The pope was tired, yesterday he had a very busy day, he saw a lot of people .. he wanted to say hello to them all,» said Parolin, according to Italian news agencies. «And probably at a certain point the resistence breaks down.» Francis had eight meetings Thursday, according to his published schedule. The pope's morning audiences are usually reserved for heads of states, associations and clerics, while his afternoons are devoted to work and private meetings. Next on Francis' schedule is Sunday's mass at St Peter's Basilica to celebrate Pentecost, followed by the traditional Regina Coeli prayer. On Monday, he is scheduled to meet with Italian President Sergio Mattarella. Francis, who has been the leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics for a decade, has suffered increasing health issues over the past year, from persistent pain in his right knee to sciatica to his recent hospital stay for bronchitis. The episodes have sparked widespread concern and fuelled speculation that he might choose to retire rather than stay in the job for life, a choice made by his predecessor, Benedict XVI. In late March, Francis was admitted to hospital in Rome after having breathing difficulties, and stayed for three nights. He was treated with antibiotics for bronchitis. As he left the Gemelli Hospital on April 1, the pope smiled and joked with well-wishers, quipping: «I am still alive!» He went on to participate in Holy Week and Easter services, the most important week in the Christian calendar. - Good days, bad days - For about a year, the pope has had to rely on a wheelchair due to recurring pain in his knee that he has said cannot be treated through surgery. Asked about his health in an interview with US Spanish-language network Telemundo broadcast on Thursday, Francis said it was «much better». «I can walk now. My knee has been mending. I could hardly walk beforehand, now I can. Some days are more painful than others, like today,» the pope said. Francis added that doctors had caught his bronchitis infection just in time. «If we'd waited a few more hours, it would've been much more serious. But I was out (of the hospital) in four days,» he said. Despite his health issues, Francis continues to travel widely, and concluded a three-day visit to Hungary earlier this month. His next planned trip is to Lisbon from August 2-6 to attend World Youth Day, the Vatican announced on Monday. The pope acknowledged last July, however, that he needed to slow down. «At my age and with this limitation, I have to save myself a little bit to be able to serve the Church,» he said then. «Or, alternatively, to think about the possibility of stepping aside.» In March, however, he insisted that he had no current plans to quit. Benedict XVI, who died on December 31 aged 95, surprised the world in 2013 when he announced he was stepping down, a radical move not seen since the Middle Ages. © Agence France-Presse

The executive committee of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) is meeting in Seychelles to discuss pressing issues in preparation for the 53rd Plenary Assembly. Seychelles’ President Wavel Ramkalawan opened the meeting on Saturday with words of thanks and welcome to the executive committeemembers to the island state. “I want to thank you for the honour for entrusting the presidency of the SADC PF to the Speaker of our National Assembly - my long-time colleague in politics - the Honourable Roger Mancienne. In placing your confidence in him, you have also honoured our National Assembly and our country. Although we are the smallest member country, we have always been ready to play our part in this very august organisation and indeed in all others of which we are part,” said Ramkalawan.    President Wavel Ramkalawan addressing the SADC PF meeting (Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY He added that he participated in the SADC PF for many years as a parliamentarian and had been involved in its projects for the formulation of policies and resolutions, which are achievements for the organisation, such as work on democratic elections. “I hope we can continue to ensure that our region delivers credible, just and fair elections… I know that the work that you do is profound,” said Ramkalawan. The president of SADC PF, Roger Mancienne, said that the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a regional parliament is a topic to be tabled during the meeting being held from May 27 to May 28.  «We are obligated to continue the transformation of the Forum into a SADC Regional Parliament. We are obligated to continue our advocacy efforts with our respective governments so that this important process is taken to its completion in the most efficient manner, always keeping in mind the noble objectives for which we seek this transformation,» said Mancienne during his opening speech. Also, on the agenda during the meeting are several issues that have been taken up by executive committee in previous meetings and new issues that come in relation to these, “such as agriculture, climate change, democratic rights, and so on,” said Mancienne. Speaker of the Seychelles National Assembly, Roger Mancienne - president of the SADC PF (Seychelles National Assembly) Photo License: CC-BY During the two days, the committee also considered the proposal for the creation of a world-class International Learning Centre and Library. SADC PF was established in 1997 and brings together members of parliaments from Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.  The executive committee of the SADC PF (Seychelles National Assembly) Photo License: CC-BY It provides a platform for parliaments and parliamentarians to promote and improve regional integration in the SADC region, through parliamentary involvement. «As the management committee of our organisation, it is our duty to ensure that our institution operates with excellence as it continues to build the capacity of parliamentarians in our region while observing the obligations of human rights and good governance including transparency and accountability.  This meeting is only one way in which we can deliver on this mandate through the oversight of the work being done by the secretariat and by providing guidance and decisions where necessary,» said Mancienne. The Plenary Assembly - the highest policy-making and deliberative body of the SADC PF - will be held in Tanzania in July 2023.

Seychellois international footballer Michael Mancienne has announced his retirement from professional football after his current contract with Burton Albion in the UK's League One expires this summer. Mancienne, 35, told SNA that he took the decision to end his career because his body is telling him it is time. «I have been having problems with my left knee, which has been causing a lot of pain, so I don't want it to get worse, as I want to be able to run and play with my kids,» he said. The Burton Albion defender has been suffering from knee problems since July last year and was absent for three months after suffering a knee injury that needed surgery. Mancienne, a graduate of the famous Chelsea Academy in London, has a career that spanned over two decades, playing four times for Chelsea Football Club, before making his name out on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Football League Championship. It was at Wolves that Mancienne earned a surprise call-up to the England national team for a match against Romania. «That was a huge achievement for me as it was not normal for a championship player to get called into the England first team,» Mancienne told SNA. Mancienne was however not involved in the match, which meant he was free to still represent Seychelles, which he did in 2022. Aside from Chelsea and Wolves, he has played for Queens Park Rangers, Nottingham Forest and Burton Albion in England. Mancienne also played for Hamburg in Germany and New England Revolution in the United States. «I have no regrets about my career. I have travelled the world and played against some great players,» he added. Asked if he will remain in football, Mancienne said, «I don't think I'll be a coach as it is not something I want to do, but helping young players develop on and off the pitch... I like the sound of that.» The 35-year-old owns a property company and he said he will continue to keep a healthy lifestyle and will be building some houses. He will end his career after having played over 360 games in his career and was even named Chelsea's Young Player of the Year in 2009. Mancienne has played five times for Seychelles, scoring his one and only international goal from the penalty spot against Bangladesh in March 2023. His current team, Burton Albion, finished the 2022/23 League One season in 15th place.

Members of parliament from countries of the Indian Ocean Commission have held statutory meetings in Seychelles to validate the Indian Ocean Commission Parliamentary Association (AP-COI) action plan and prepare activities for 2023. The meetings held in Seychelles took place over the course of four days - from May 23 to May 26. This included the second meeting of the executive committee (COMEX), the Conference of Presidents of National Assemblies, and a plenary session. AP-COI brings together parliamentarians from Comoros, La Reunion, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles. It was founded in November 2015 in Port Louis and after a few years of inactivity, it was re-launched in November 2022 under the impetus of the Indian Ocean Commission through the Governance, Peace, and Stability project. In a press conference on Friday, a member of the Seychelles National Assembly, Philip Monthy said that the aim of AP-COI is to bring together the parliaments of the Indian Ocean Commission member countries. This is so that «we work together as a block so as to outline and look at our common challenges and interests that our different islands are facing. This includes IUU [illegal, unreported and unregulated] fishing, drug trafficking, peace, and stability in the region. Coming together allows us to have a stronger voice on the international scene, especially on the African scene. An example of this is within SADC,» said Monthy. A parliament member of Madagascar, Aina Rafenomanantsoa, outlined that during the plenary session held on the last day of the meetings, members «approved the association's statutes and rules of procedure, the association's action plan, activities for 2023 and the AP-COI logo.» «We also validated a joint declaration to support our common interests,» said Rafenomanantsoa. This is expected to be carried to regional and international institutions including the African Union. The joint advocacy to be carried out at the level of the executive and consultative bodies of the African Union aims to better highlight the specific needs of the southwest Indian Ocean islands at the continental level. Speaking of plans for 2023, Monthy said that there will be a parliamentary diplomatic formation that will be financed and organised jointly by the United Nations mission in Mauritius in October, and it will see the participation of parliament members.  «There is also a Governance Peace and Stability project being organised,» said Monthy. The Governance, Peace, and Stability (GPS) project, being funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), is being carried out at a cost of around €8 million over the course of two and a half years. The GPS project aims to contribute to peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region. Its component in strengthening democratic institutions, including the AP-COI, provides support for the re-dynamisation and functioning of the AP-COI through technical and operational support.

The Supreme Court of Seychelles on Friday sentenced a female Brazilian national to eight years in prison for the importation of cocaine. According to the court report, Amanda Ravara Dos Anjos, 32, was convicted on her own plea of guilt for the importation of a controlled drug contrary to Section 5 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, 2016. Dos Anjos was arrested after her arrival in Seychelles onboard an Emirates Airlines flight with a total cocaine content of 3118.09 grammes and having a total net weight of white substance amounting to 4133.70 grammes in two cartons packets. Her lawyer, Joshua Revera, in his mitigation, said that the accused pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity to the charge, demonstrating her genuine remorse in the commission of the offence of the importation of the controlled drug. He asked the Court to give full credit for her guilty plea. Revera further submitted that it is clear from the admitted facts produced by the prosecution and the probation report that Amanda Dos Anjos was taken advantage of and used as a drug mule for the benefit of others. When passing the sentence, Justice Burhan said that it is the view of the Court that the pure quantity concerned is large. «Had she not been timely arrested at the airport when she brought the controlled drug into the country and had this quantity of controlled drug hit the streets, the detrimental effect on the population, especially the younger generation would have been severe,» he said. Burhan added that «giving due consideration to the seriousness of the offence and the facts set out in mitigation by Learned Counsel the fact that suitable deterrent punishment must be given to prevent the repetition of such offences, I proceed to sentence the accused Amanda Ravara Dos Anjos to a term of eight years imprisonment.» Burhan said that «considering the large quantity imported, this Court is of the view that it was clearly not for her personal consumption but for more sinister purposes of a commercial nature/trafficking. I am satisfied therefore that aggravating circumstances exist and therefore the accused is not entitled to remission.» The Brazilian national has the right to appeal against the sentence.  

Fulgence Kayishema, one of the last fugitives sought for their role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide, was due in a court in Cape Town on Friday, two days after being arrested following 22 years on the run. He allegedly took part in one of the genocide's bloodiest episodes, when more than 2,000 Tutsis who had sought shelter in a church were slaughtered. «He will make his first appearance» on Friday, Eric Ntabazalila, a spokesman for the South Africa's National Prosecution Authority, told AFP. A prosecutor will read out the charges he faces and «the state is likely to ask for a postponement... to establish some facts around the accused.» Extradition is not expected to be discussed on Friday, he added. The former Rwandan police inspector was arrested on Wednesday at a grape farm in Paarl, 60 kilometres (35 miles) north of Cape Town, according to UN investigators. The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (MICT) -- the successor to the UN court that prosecuted scores of major suspects -- describes him as «one of the world's most wanted genocide fugitives.» He faces charges of genocide, complicity in and conspiracy to commit genocide, and crimes against humanity. Around 800,000 Rwandans, most of them ethnic Tutsis, were slaughtered over 100 days at the hands of Hutu extremists. Kayishema and others allegedly murdered more than 2,000 men, women and children who had taken refuge in a Catholic church in Nyange in Kivumu district. «Kayishema directly participated in the planning and execution of this massacre, including by procuring and distributing petrol to burn down the church with the refugees inside,» the MICT said on Thursday, announcing his arrest. «When this failed, Kayishema and others used a bulldozer to collapse the church, burying and killing the refugees inside.» «Kayishema and others then supervised the transfer of corpses from the church grounds into mass graves.» South African police said the arrest was made in response to an Interpol red notice, and the suspect had been living under the false name of Donatien Nibashumba. - Aliases and false documents - The hunt for Kayishema spanned countries across Africa, targeting a man who used many aliases and false documents and relied on a «network of trusted supporters», the MICT said. These included family members, members of the former Rwandan armed forces, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) rebel group «and those aligned with the genocidal Hutu Power ideology.» The United States had offered up to $5 million reward for information leading to Kayishema's arrest, transfer or conviction, but there have been no details as to whether this played a role in the capture. The MICT in 2015 took over the work of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), set up by UN after the genocide. Before handing over the reins, the ICTR sentenced 62 people, including a 30-year term handed to former minister Augustin Ngirabatware, and acquitted 14. Rwanda started trying genocide suspects in 1996, and on a single day in April 1998 had 22 of them executed by firing squad. It abolished the death penalty in 2007, lifting the main obstacle for the ICTR to extradite genocide suspects to Rwanda for trial. Between 2005 and 2012, more than 12,000 community-based courts put nearly two million people on trial and convicted 65 percent, sending most to prison. Other convictions have been handed down in the former colonial power Belgium as well as in France, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, the United States and Canada. © Agence France-Presse

Africa must not become a «geostrategic battleground» for global powers, as it grapples with several threats to its own peace and security, African Union leaders warned Thursday. The continent of 1.3 billion people has found itself at the centre of a tussle for influence among the major powers, which has redoubled since Russia's invasion of Ukraine 15 months ago. And just as the AU marked the anniversary of the creation of its forerunner, the Organisation of African Unity, on this day in 1963, Ukraine itself announced it wanted to boost ties with Africa. «In this international context of confrontation of divergent political interests, the will of each side threatens to transform Africa into a geostrategic battleground, thereby creating a new Cold War,» AU Commission chair Moussa Faki Mahamat said. «In this zero-sum game, where the gains of others would translate into losses for Africa, we must resist all forms of instrumentalisation of our member states,» he added in an address at AU headquarters in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Moscow is seeking deeper political, economic and military ties in Africa as well as Asia as Russia becomes increasingly isolated on the international stage over the conflict in Ukraine. - 'Capacity for resilience' - Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who is currently on a tour of Africa, on Wednesday urged certain African nations to end their «neutrality» over the war. In February, 22 AU member states abstained or did not vote on a UN General Assembly resolution that called for Russia withdraw from Ukraine. Two of them -- Eritrea and Mali -- voted against the resolution. And in a statement to mark the pan-African body's anniversary, Kuleba also announced a Ukrainian diplomatic push on the continent. «We want to develop a new quality of partnership based on three mutual principles: mutual respect, mutual interests, and mutual benefits,» he said, announcing plans to establish new embassies in Africa and hold a Ukraine-Africa summit. Moscow itself has scheduled a Russia-Africa summit in July, following a trip to several African countries at the start of the year by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. China and the United States too have also despatched their foreign ministers to the continent in rival diplomatic offensives this year. Beijing has funded major infrastructure development in Africa but denies Western charges it is practising «debt-trap diplomacy», while Russia is a key arms exporter and is making forays through mining projects, analysts say. - 'Conflicts and terrorism persist' - Faki meanwhile also hailed the successes of the 54-nation AU which succeeded the OAU in 2002: «Independence and victory against apartheid, that of significant economic and scientific progress, sports, arts, the growing international role of Africa and so on.» However, he also acknowledged «negative factors such as democratic decline through unconstitutional changes of government, with their litany of oppression and gagging of freedoms, insecurity, the spread of terrorism, violent extremism, the uncontrolled circulation of arms, the harmful effects of climate change». Despite the difficulties, Faki said, Africa remains «characterised by its greater capacity for resilience», pointing for example to its response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The current head of the African Union, Comoros President Azali Assoumani also denounced «the unconstitutional changes of power» which have multiplied in Africa in recent years. «Inter and intra-African conflicts but also terrorism persist and consequently the peace, security, democracy and development of our continent are threatened in several of our countries,» he said. Assoumani spoke of the conflict between rival generals in Sudan which erupted in mid-April and has persisted despite several truce agreements. «We must convince our brothers in Sudan to favour dialogue so that the fratricidal war raging in this country ends,» he added. © Agence France-Presse  

The 2023 Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG) scheduled for August 23 to September in Madagascar will now feature 17 sporting disciplines instead of 23, said a top official on Friday. The president of the International Games Committee (CIJ), Antonio Gopal, told reporters that «these changes have come about due to the hosts feeling that with the number of disciplines and with the delays they have had, it could be too many to do.» The 17 disciplines confirmed for the games are athletics, badminton, basketball (5x5) and (3x3), men's boxing, men's cycling, men's football, weightlifting, handball, judo, karate, wrestling, swimming, petanque, rugby (7x7), tennis, table tennis, tennis and volleyball. Those that have been removed are archery, taekwondo, women's boxing, yachting, surfing and equestrian.   Gopal said that the Games Committee has asked for the inclusion of two other sports, namely yachting and beach volleyball, but discussions are still ongoing. For the participation of Seychelles, Seychellois athletes will compete in 16 of the 17 sporting disciplines. The island nation will not take part in wrestling, which is a sport not practiced in Seychelles. According to the representative of the Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (SOCGA), Alain Alcindor, Seychelles will have a delegation of about 575 for the games. «This will comprise of  400 athletes out of whom 225 are men and 155 are women,» said Alcindor He said that this could change if the two other sports events awaiting a decision for inclusion are added. Businesses in Seychelles are being urged to contribute towards the games, but support will be provided to the delegation. Gopal, who along with a delegation from the Games Committee and representative from participating nations visited Madagascar recently,  was given assurances that the games will go ahead as planned. It was confirmed that most of the events at the games, will take place in and around the capital city of Antananarivo. This will help make things easier for all involved, as there will not be long distances to travel.   The IOIG is a multi-sport event that takes place every four years for athletes from the Indian Ocean Islands. Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros, Madagascar, Mayotte, Reunion and the Maldives are the regular participants in the games. Mauritius, the previous hosts, claimed the most gold medals in the 2019 games.

The Seychelles islands woke up Friday to the news that the island nation's first Anglican priest and bishop, Archbishop Emeritus French Chang Him, had passed away. Chang Him was 85 years old.  The beloved bishop was hospitalised a fortnight ago and underwent emergency surgery last weekend. Last Sunday, Archbishop James Wong of the Anglican Diocese Seychelles – 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean – held a prayer service at the St Paul's Cathedral where people from all walks of life prayed for the health of Chang Him.  French Chang Him is survived by his twin daughters, Michelle and Frances, and three grandchildren.  On June 9, Chang Him would have celebrated 60 years of service and devotion to the Anglican Diocese of Seychelles and the province of the Indian Ocean.  French Chang-Him was ordained to the priesthood in June 1963, following theological studies at Lichfield Theological College in the United Kingdom. Over the years, he pursued other studies, which included Post Ordination Studies at St Augustine's College in Canterbury, England, and at Trinity College at the Toronto University of Canada.   Over the years, Chang Him served in parishes all over the main islands of Mahe, Praslin and La Digue as well as for the Anglican community on Cousine and for the leper settlement on Curieuse Island.   Bishop French also served as the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Seychelles from 1979 until his retirement in 2004. He was consecrated by Bishop George Briggs, his predecessor, and Bishop Trevor Huddlestone, assisted by three other bishops from Madagascar.   He was, in 1984, given the position of Archbishop of the Indian Ocean. Archbishop Chang Him was conferred the title of Archbishop Emeritus by the Indian Ocean Province of the Anglican Church in 2014.  Until his passing Archbishop Emeritus French Chang Him was still active in pastoral duties and was based at the St John's Parish in the northern district of Glacis.   Aside from his church duties Chang Him was also very active in civil societies; he was a founding member of the Cancer Concern Association – a cause close to his heart as he had lost his beloved wife Suzy to cancer and was himself a cancer patient. He was the longest serving member of the Archbishop Makarios Foundation, which awards bursaries to children in need, which he kept alive and most recently saw the donation of bursaries on May 5, when he gave his last interview to the press. Archbishop Emeritus French Chang Him also played a key role in setting up the Seychelles Inter-Faith Council (SIFCO), which he saw as the spiritual voice of Seychelles, linking both Christian and non-Christian religions. A key function of the council was to offer spiritual guidance and interact with both government and NGOs for both material and spiritual progress in a fast-changing world.  Archbishop Chang Him (right) receiving the insignia of the OBE from British High Commissioner Lindsay Skoll at the time in the presence of daughter Frances and grand-daughter Shannon in early December 2014. (Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY In December 2014, Archbishop Chang-Him was designated an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. This was for his services to reconciliation, human rights, charity, and democratic values and his invaluable service to British nationals in Seychelles, past and present. President Ramkalawan's condolences Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan has sent a message of deepest condolences on behalf of the government, the people of Seychelles and on his personal behalf, to his daughters, Frances and Michelle, the grandchildren, the family and the Anglican community. «Seychelles is in deep mourning following the passing of Archbishop Emeritus, French Chang-Him. The country has lost a precious child, a man of deep faith, an obedient servant and a devoted father and grandfather. His departure leaves a void in the Anglican church, in our community and around the world,» said Ramkalawan. The President said that «As a man who believed in justice, Bishop French stood against any form of tyranny. He expressed himself openly against the abuse of human rights and was often the sole voice of the voiceless during the one-party years. He would give support to those whose loved ones were detained or whose children had disappeared, all while mourning the brutal death of his dear brother, Davidson Chang-Him, who was murdered on 5th June 1977. He paid the consequences for standing up in many ways.» President Ramkalawan, who is also an Anglican priest, and spent much time with Archbishop French throughout the course of his life, expressed that «His soft voice and gentle touch will be missed by everyone. He fought the good fight and was faithful to the end. May he be blessed with the gift of eternity as he is welcomed by the Saviour he served. May his soul rest in peace and rise in glory.»

A mechanism to facilitate the Indian Ocean Commission's (IOC) initiative of pooled procurement is expected to be completed by the end of the year and come into effect in 2024, said a Seychelles government official. The permanent liaison officer for the IOC in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ralph Agrippine, told SNA that the initiative will help its member countries «have better bargaining power with suppliers once it comes into place.» Seychelles' foreign minister, Sylvestre Radegonde who attended the  37th Council of Ministers which took place in Madagascar, brought the idea forward during an IOC meeting and encouraged Mauritius and other members to join. Among the decisions taken at the meeting was the adoption of a new Strategic Development Plan (SDP) for the next five years, support for the continuation of IOC actions toward the full operationalisation and consolidation of the regional maritime safety architecture and the invitation to the General Secretariat to pursue the reflection on a regional grouped procurement mechanism.  Pooled procurement combines several countries into a single unit to make purchases and this helps in reducing prices of goods and providing countries with collective bargaining power to navigate access to better quality products. Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, which relies heavily on imported goods, has to pay higher prices for its imports as its market share is quite small. «We are also looking into the possibility of including other African countries close to the IOC,» said Agrippine. The plan to import items as a group will not «include all goods, but will cater for essentials,» he added. Agrippine said, «One thing that would have to be done is to establish a procurement agency which will be tasked with determining what needs to be imported in the region.» He explained that the IOC was looking at the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States' (OECS) as an example as it already has such a mechanism in place. Once in place, some countries will be able to buy some goods in bulk and at other times they may receive assistance in order to buy the items that they are the only ones using. However, Agrippine revealed that such a mechanism already existed when importing medicines and health related items. The IOC already launched the Regional Programme for Food Security and Nutrition, supported by the FAO in Seychelles, in March 2019. Through this platform, member states are able to do business and trade of agricultural products between themselves.  The Indian Ocean Commission is an intergovernmental organisation linking Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion, and Seychelles. 

New research from the Tourism Carrying Capacity Study for Seychelles' two main islands - Mahe and Praslin - shows that the country is having constraints in capacity to provide electricity, water, waste treatment, and sewage system, a top government official said on Thursday. Seychelles' Vice President Ahmed Afif said in a press conference that people «who come to hotels use way more electrical services, water, and sewage than we do at home.» «The amount of waste that they produce is also higher than at home. Our capacity to provide electricity is reaching its limit. We are getting close to needing to replace certain generators that we have. We will need to install more sewage plants and install systems all across the country. The same applies to water and all of these come at a cost,» said Afif Conducted by Sustainable Travel International, the study revealed that the focus of investment mainly on accommodation facilities has led to little innovation in terms of the visitor experience. The study also confirmed that the tourism sector is a significant contributor to the economy. The information was provided to the press after the Cabinet of Ministers was briefed on the results of the study during the Cabinet's meeting held on Wednesday.  Following the presentation, Cabinet approved a number of measures that will allow for the development of Seychelles as a high-value with low-impact destination. More details are expected to be provided to the press on the study. A carrying capacity was already carried out for La Digue, the third most populated island of Seychelles from 2019 to 2021. Results from the carrying capacity study that came out in 2021 also identified these pressures as deficient utility services, lack of proper waste management system, and the landfill operating at capacity. A moratorium came into force on August 1, 2021, as part of recommendations brought forward after a study was carried out for the construction of new tourism accommodations and applications for change of use. The moratorium has been extended until December 2023.

Tina Turner, the trailblazing rocker whose powerful voice and imposing stage presence thrilled global audiences for decades, died Wednesday at the age of 83. Tributes poured in from around the world, with some of music's biggest names lamenting the loss of a singular and instantly recognizable performer, whose popularity spanned generations. Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger -- who, legend has it, learned his dance moves from the diva, said the world had lost «an enormously talented performer and singer.» «She was inspiring, warm, funny and generous. She helped me so much when I was young and I will never forget her.» Bandmate Ronnie Wood called Turner «the Queen Of Rock And Soul and a dear friend.» Fans lined up to pay tribute at the wrought iron gates of her huge compound in Kusnacht, on Switzerland's Lake Zurich, many bearing candles and flowers. Chateau Algonquin had been the home Turner shared with her German husband Erwin Bach for almost three decades, including when she took Swiss citizenship in 2013, and relinquished her US passport. «The world has lost an icon,» Swiss President Alain Berset said. US President Joe Biden paid a pointed tribute to a «once-in-a-generation talent that changed American music forever.» «Tina's personal strength was remarkable,» Biden wrote. «Overcoming adversity, and even abuse, she built a career for the ages and a life and legacy that were entirely hers, » he added, calling Turner «simply the best.» Biden's former boss, Barack Obama called her «a star whose light will never fade.» «Tina Turner was raw. She was powerful. She was unstoppable. And she was unapologetically herself — speaking and singing her truth through joy and pain; triumph and tragedy,» America's first Black president wrote of the star held up as a Black icon. Turner's Britain-based publicist Bernard Doherty said her death came after a long illness, and had robbed the world of «a music legend and a role model.» He gave no details of the illness. - 'The Best' - A career that would go on to net eight Grammy Awards began in the 1960s in a partnership with husband Ike Turner. The pair recorded a number of hits together throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and while he was credited as being the brains behind the operation, she was always clearly the more talented. After their troubled and violent marriage collapsed -- she fled in 1976 mid-tour -- Tina Turner forged a wildly successful solo career. The following decades gifted the world instantly recognizable hits like «What's Love Got to Do With It?», «Private Dancer» and the anthemic «The Best». Her «We Don't Need Another Hero» featured on the soundtrack to «Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome,» the 1985 post-apocalyptic thriller starring Mel Gibson. A decade later she oozed her way through «Goldeneye,» joining the select ranks of artists who have sung on the James Bond franchise. Reaction to Turner's death came from across the worlds of music, entertainment and sport. Fellow singer Gloria Gaynor took to Instagram to hail Turner's mold-breaking career, and how she «paved the way for so many women in rock music, black and white.» «She did with great dignity and success what very few would even have dared to do in her time and in that genre of music. »She will be sorely missed.« Mariah Carey called Turner the embodiment of a legendary superstar. She was »an incredible performer, musician and trailblazer. «To me, she will always be a survivor and an inspiration to women everywhere,» she wrote. Angela Bassett, who played the singer in the 1993 biopic «What's Love Got to Do With It» opposite Laurence Fishburne as Ike, paid emotional tribute to «a woman who owned her pain and trauma and used it as a means to help change the world.» «Tina Turner showed others who lived in fear what a beautiful future filled with love, compassion and freedom should look like,» Bassett said. Basketball legend Magic Johnson posted a picture with the songstress -- «one of my favorite artists of all time.» «I've seen her many many times and hands down, she gave one of the best live shows I've ever seen,» he tweeted. Actor Forest Whitaker praised Turner's «voice, her dancing, and her spirit.» But he also hailed her ability to bounce back, in a nod to the difficulty of escaping her troubled marriage to Ike. «As we honor her, let's also reflect on her resilience, and think about all the greatness that can follow our darkest days.» English crooner Rick Astley tweeted «What a woman, what a life, what a voice! One of the GREATS!» while NASA declared that Turner's «legacy will forever live among the stars.» © Agence France-Presse

Negotiations on a global treaty to combat plastic pollution will resume Monday, with nations under pressure to stem the tide of trash amid calls from campaigners to limit industry influence on the talks. Some 175 nations pledged last year to agree by 2024 a binding deal to end the pollution from largely fossil fuel-based plastics that is choking the environment and infiltrating the bodies of humans and animals. The May 29-June 2 talks in Paris are tasked with agreeing the first outline for actions that could form the basis of a draft negotiating text. A global ban on single-use plastic items and «polluter pays» schemes are among the measures under discussion. Last month wealthy G7 nations -- United States, Japan, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy and Canada -- committed to zero plastic pollution by 2040. They said it was an attainable goal thanks to the rise of the circular economy and the possibility of reducing or banning single-use plastics and non-recyclables. Campaigners are pushing for the talks to go further and focus on cutting the amount of plastic that gets made in the first place. Plastic production has doubled in 20 years. It wraps food, is woven into clothes and the fabric of buildings, and is an important material for disposable medical products. In 2019, a total of 460 million tonnes (Mt) of the stuff was made, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which predicted production could triple again by 2060 without action. - 'Once-in-a-generation' - Around two-thirds of plastic waste is discarded after being used only once or a few times, and less than 10 percent is recycled. Millions of tonnes of plastic waste are dumped in the environment or improperly burned, polluting the air. Over time, it breaks down into tiny fragments that have been found everywhere from mountain tops and the deepest sea trenches, to inside human blood streams and placentas. In a report published in mid-May, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) called for systemic change to wean societies off throwaway consumerism by significantly scaling up reuse and recycling, while promoting alternative materials. It said this would help slash annual plastic pollution 80 percent by 2040 overall and cut single-use plastic production by half. But campaigners want a greater focus on slashing production. The treaty is a «once-in-a-generation opportunity to solve the plastics crisis», said Louise Edge, Global Plastics Campaigner for Greenpeace UK, in an open letter this week raising concerns about industry influence in the negotiations. «Whether it succeeds or fails depends on whether governments are bold enough to ensure that the treaty delivers what the science says is needed - a cap and phase down of plastic production.» - Ambitions - Reduction of plastic use and production is at the top of a plan devised by a «High Ambition» coalition of 53 countries, led by Rwanda and Norway and including the European Union, Canada and Mexico. Other nations are pushing instead for a reliance on recycling, innovation and better waste management. As in the UN negotiations on climate and biodiversity, financing is a key point of tension. Rich economies have historically polluted more -- and for years exported trash for recycling to poorer nations, where it often winds up in the environment. Some developing nations are concerned about rules that might place too great a burden on their economies. The binding nature of the treaty is also still in question. The United States, for example, wants to limit the legal scope of the agreement, leaving signatories free to develop solutions in national plans, said a spokesperson from the French foreign office. Celebrities such as Jane Fonda and Joaquin Phoenix joined Greenpeace USA in mid-May to call on US President Joe Biden to raise his ambitions. - Fossil fuels - The Paris talks follow an opening round of technical discussions in November in Uruguay and mark the second of five stages of negotiations expected to lead to a historic agreement covering the entire life cycle of plastics. Host country France plans a political summit on Saturday, with some 40 environment ministers and diplomats, to present recommendations by the EU -- one of the world's main consumers of plastic. Meanwhile, activists have raised fears over the involvement in the process of the plastics industry, even as many professional and scientific observers are unable to attend due to a lack of space. Around 175 campaign groups signed a Greenpeace letter to UNEP this week to express concern over «the role that the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries and their lobbyists are having on the negotiations». A spokesperson from the treaty secretariat told AFP that the original UN resolution on the negotiations decided that they «are open for participation of all relevant stakeholders». They added that a full list of attendees would be provided only after Monday's meeting. © Agence France-Presse

The Island Conservation Society (ICS) - a non-profit organisation in Seychelles - has extended its conservation presence in the Aldabra group of islands with the opening of a new conservation centre on Astove, which the sixth one among others based on various islands in the archipelago. In a press communique last week, ICS, which was set up in April 2000, said that the centre will also extend its work on the atoll of Cosmoledo where a sooty tern census is expected to be held later this month. The new centre is located on Astove Atoll located over 1,000km southwest of the main island of Mahe. The atoll is part of the Aldabra Group, which also includes Assomption Island.   The ICS conservation officer on Astove, Jake Letori, said that opening the centre is easier said than done. «The remoteness of the atolls with few transport options makes it logistically difficult and time-consuming to deliver equipment to the staff, especially in the southeast monsoon, making it challenging for the team,» he explained.  ICS said that the opening of the new Astove Conservation Centre highlights the start of the long-term presence of ICS on the raised coral atolls which host exceptional marine and terrestrial flora and fauna. The atoll is the most important unprotected biodiversity hotspot in Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. The current main conservation priorities involve undertaking habitat assessments and removal of invasive alien species (IAS) such as cats. This will allow the reintroduction of land bird species from neighbouring Aldabra Atoll. The removal of invasive vegetation will also help to increase habitat sites for seabirds.   The new centre will also facilitate the annual sooty tern census on Cosmoledo, a task which will provide an updated estimate of the breeding population on the atoll. During the census, other seabirds will be monitored including the only breeding population of brown boobies in Seychelles, alongside red-footed boobies.   A small number of great frigatebirds and red-tailed tropicbirds also choose to nest on Cosmoledo and on rat and cat-free islands. The director of conservation and science, Gregory Berke, said that although Astove and Cosmoledo do not fall under the same protection as Aldabra, ICS aims to conserve and monitor their unique wildlife populations and restore habitats to their natural state. «This marks the beginning of a very long mission and while it may take some time before the centres are fully operational, it is a historic step in the right direction for conservation,» he added. Berke said that with so much to discover, a lot will be gained to benefit Seychelles and further global communities, and «throughout the journey, ICS will continue to share with you its progress and the extraordinary natural beauty that both atolls have to offer.»   With the presence of ICS and the support of the Islands Development Company (IDC), which is a state-owned entity, and the tourism company Blue Safari Seychelles, it is hoped that illegal fishing activities which have been a cause of concern in the area will be reduced. In the future, ICS is aiming to expand its programmes on Astove and Cosmoledo to include monitoring of marine biodiversity including sharks.

Mexican authorities on Sunday raised the warning level for the Popocatepetl volcano to one step below red alert, as smoke, ash and molten rock spewed into the sky posing risks to aviation and far-flung communities below. The volcano, located in central Mexico, is considered one of the most dangerous in the world because some 25 million people live within a 100-kilometer (60-mile) radius. Sunday's increased alert level -- to «yellow phase three» -- comes a day after two Mexico City airports temporarily halted operations due to falling ash. Popocatepetl is located on the borders of the central states of Morelos, Mexico, and Puebla, the capital of which an AFP reporter said Sunday had woken up to a blanketing of gray ash. The yellow warning means «remain alert and prepare for a possible evacuation,» according to the warning system developed by Mexico's National Disaster Prevention Center. The yellow phase three activated Sunday means «intermediate to high activity» and is triggered when the volcano shows «explosions of increasing intensity, expelling incandescent fragments.» According to civil protection coordinator Laura Velazquez, the alert increase also means an elevated risk of spewing magma and «significant explosions of increasing intensity that shoot fragments (of rock) over considerable distances.» The next step, a red alert, triggers mandatory evacuations. Dozens of shelters have already been opened in areas surrounding the crater. Popocatepetl, which has not had a massive eruption in more than a millennium, became active again in 1994 and has seen periods of increased activity ever since. © Agence France-Presse

South Africa is famous for its wines but not necessarily for olive oil, where Greece, Italy and Spain are the undisputed kings. But the country's farmers are undeterred, eyeing a potential share of the lucrative market for top-quality extra virgin oils. At Tokara, a farm about an hour's drive from Cape Town, workers pull rakes through branches to make the ripening olives tumble to the ground. Harvesting the green treasure is under full swing in this popular wine region at the southern tip of Africa, where the landscape is reminiscent of Tuscany. «Can you smell» the aroma, asks Gert van Dyk, 49, the farm's operations manager, holding a glass of freshly-pressed extra virgin olive oil that clinched an award in the United States earlier this year. «You can taste the nice bitterness at the back of the throat. Then the pepperiness comes through and the back of the throat is burning nicely,» he says rolling the light green liquid over his tongue like a wine master. The estate originally specialised in wine but now has oil as one of its flagship products -- and even offers tastings of it. «We have really extraordinary quality olive oil,» enthuses French restaurateur Christophe Dehosse, 55. When he moved to the country 30 years ago, few people used olive oil, he recalls. «But now a lot of farms have been planting olives... there's really no reason to buy an olive oil coming from Europe 10,000 kilometres (6,200 miles) away,» said Dehosse who owns four restaurants in the region. «We really get artisanal, fantastic products.» - 'Very fashionable' - At his table, he offers an Italian-style appetiser of simple bread dipped in olive oil, which has become «very fashionable». He always goes for locally-produced oil. «I know what I buy hasn't been cut with anything. It's 100 percent extra virgin olive oil». The first South African olives were grown in the early 20th century by an Italian immigrant, Fernando Costa, says SA Olive, an association of grower and producers. Then in 1998, Giulio Bertrand, a retired Italian in South Africa, imported 17 varieties of olive trees and planted them on his farm in Stellenbosch. Today, the Morgenster farm grows olive trees on 42 hectares, and millions of trees across the country descended from Bertrand's first olive trees. «My grandfather was known as the father of olive oil in South Africa as he paved the way to the olive oil industry as we know it today,» says Bertrand's 29-year-old granddaughter, Vittoria Castagnetta, who works for the family's still-active business. Since then, the idyllic hills of the Cape region, with their Mediterranean climate and rolling vineyards, have produced olives recognised beyond the country's borders for their quality. A South African oil was in May awarded the «Absolute Best Olive Oil» in the world title at the prestigious EVOOLEUM awards in Spain. The winning farm, De Rustica, 400 kilometres from Stellenbosch, enjoys the same Mediterranean climate. While olive oil remains a luxury product for many South Africans, producers like Van Dyk have in recent years noticed «an increase in demand from the local market» as part of the quest for healthier diets. Producing up to two million litres of olive oil annually, against global output of over three million tons, means it may take time for South Africa to compete with big global brands. Yet making inroads into the luxury oil industry, is «one of the things South Africa can really be proud of. Same thing as our wine, it just needs to be discovered,» said the chef. But South Africa may well start to position itself for the export market as some of the world's traditional producers in Europe are facing headwinds in the face of droughts and recurrent heatwaves. Low output caused by climatic disasters have drastically hiked global olive oil prices in recent months. In January 2022, oil sold at 3,500 euros ($3,700) per tonne, a year later it was up at 5,300 euros, and this month it had shot to 5,800 euros, according to international oil broking firm Baillon Intercor. © Agence France-Presse

Air Seychelles has confirmed that the airline has signed a codeshare agreement with Qatar Airways but no other information was provided. According to an article in the Gulf Times on Monday, Qatar Airways has announced a codeshare agreement with Air Seychelles, the flag carrier of the Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. Through the new codeshare agreement, Qatar Airways will place its code on Air Seychelles' operated flights between Mahe, the main island, and Praslin, the second most populated island. This will enable passengers to continue their journey using a single booking. The article indicated that this agreement will allow passengers on both networks seamless travel to one of the world's most exotic and unique destinations. The Air Seychelles acting chief executive, Captain Sandy Benoiton, said: «This new partnership will provide passengers with new connection opportunities and access to unique destinations from both networks,» said the article. Through the agreement, travellers from over 160 worldwide destinations, where Qatar Airways operate, will be able to connect to Seychelles through the International Airport, in Doha. According to the Gulf Times, in a press release from the airline, Qatar Airways group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said, «Our strategy of facilitating connectivity to African markets through partnerships is in line with this enhanced cooperation with Air Seychelles. Our two airlines are pleased to work together to benefit passengers with more travel choices and to support the tourism industry in Seychelles.» The agreement comes after Seychelles' transport minister, Antony Derjacques, signed a cooperation agreement with Qatar Airways last year. The agreement was signed in the margins of the 41st International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Assembly in Montreal, which took place from September 27 to October 7.   Derjacques said that the agreement with Qatar «will enhance cooperation between the two countries, especially where it concerns technical and training for civil aviation staff.»  

Seychelles' Anse Source D'Argent on La Digue island claimed second place on the World's Top 50 Best Beaches list for 2023, said Tourism Seychelles - the marketing arm of the tourism department - on Wednesday.  Presented by Banana Boat, the World's 50 Best Beaches list, is the result of a collaborative effort that gathered votes from over 750 esteemed travel influencers and professionals. Anse Source D'Agent is located in the southwest of La Digue – the third most populated island of Seychelles. The beach has crystal clear wavelets lapping rhythmically on shimmering white sands, shaded in parts from the sun by dramatic granite boulders and leafy green coconut trees. Topping the list was Lucky Bay in Australia and in third place Hidden Beach in the Philippines. The rankings for the beaches were based on several criteria, such as untouched natural beauty, remoteness, how swimmable it is, annual days of sunshine and average annual temperature. Tourism Seychelles said that the inclusion of Seychelles' beaches on the World's 50 Best Beaches list stands as a testament to their natural beauty and captivating landscapes. «Anse Source D'Argent is renowned as one of the world's most photographed coastlines and captivates visitors with its golden sand, turquoise waters, and majestic granite boulders. With impressive days of sunshine each year, this beach sets the stage for an idyllic beach experience,» added Tourism Seychelles. The popular beach has topped rankings several times. In 2019, it was ranked number one on Africa's Top 50 Beaches. Another beach from Seychelles, Anse Lazio, on Praslin Island was ranked 29th. Anse Lazio is located on the northwest coast of Praslin Island, the second most important island of Seychelles. The beach may feel like it is quite removed from the world but is easily accessible by foot, car, or boat. Tourism Seychelles said that «celebrated as one of the finest beaches globally, Anse Lazio features a wide stretch of soft white sand framed by granite rocks at both ends. Its calm, crystal-clear waters and gentle slope make it an ideal setting for swimming and snorkelling.» «This recognition further solidifies Seychelles' position as a must-visit destination for beach lovers worldwide, offering a truly extraordinary experience,» it added.

Seychelles' participation at the Seafood Expo Global 2023 provided more exposure to the island nation's tuna products and gave a good example of a public-private partnership, said the interim chief executive of the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) on Monday. Philippe Michaud told SNA that participating in the event was a success as it permitted Seychelles to expose and advertise its products. Held in Barcelona, Spain, during the last week of April, the Seafood Expo Global 2023 attracted over 33,000 seafood professionals, setting a record in the level of attendance. The Expo saw the participation of 2,078 companies. «Attendees got the chance to taste our products. Our stand focused on raw tuna. Fresh tuna was prepared by a sushi chef, and presented to the visitors to our stand,» said Michaud. He added that «Seychelles exports a lot of its tuna to Europe and present were a lot of large European companies that buy tuna to distribute to restaurants, supermarkets among others.» The Seafood Expo Global is seen as the world's leading and largest seafood trade event and it brings together buyers, suppliers, and other players in the seafood industry from more than 160 countries. Participating alongside SFA, was the Association of Fish Processors and Exporters Seychelles (AFPES). AFPES' presence at the Expo was made possible by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the SFA. Under the MoU, both parties agreed to co-participate in the Seafood Expo Global where the SFA allocated a budget of €33,000 directly towards Seychelles and AFPES exhibiting at this event. The contribution came from the EU Sectoral Support Fund, which is devoted to the development of the Seychelles fishing industry. «The only drawback was that there was a problem with supply. There were a lot of clients who came for the tuna, but there were not enough. There is a lot of demand but the supply is limited,» said Michaud. In a previous article, the chairman of AFPES, Louis Bossy, shared that being sustainable can also be economically unsustainable because of the volume being caught.  «It is high time that we, as the local processors, make the most out of the small volume that we have,» said Bossy. «The theme of sustainability was one that resonated across all the stands. Evidently, this is a challenge in itself. We need to give more value to the product and focus on quality,» said Michaud.  The next Seafood Expo Global will take place from April 23-25 next year. Michaud outlined that depending on the country's means, Seychelles will continue to participate in the Seafood Expo Global. 

A G20 tourism meeting began on Monday under tight security in Indian-administered Kashmir, as New Delhi seeks to project an image of normality in a region wracked for decades by violence. Both China and Pakistan have condemned holding the event in the disputed Muslim-majority territory, which is split between New Delhi and Islamabad, both of whom claim it in full. Over the decades an insurgency seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan has seen tens of thousands of civilians, soldiers and rebels killed. But India wants to show that what officials call «normalcy and peace» are returning to the region after New Delhi revoked its limited autonomy in 2019 and took direct control, imposing an extended lockdown. Dissent has been criminalised, media freedoms curbed and public protests limited in what critics say is a drastic curtailment of civil liberties by Indian authorities. Since the lockdown, the rebels have largely been crushed -- although young men continue to take up arms -- and the annual death toll, once in the thousands, has been on a downward trend, with 253 fatalities last year. «Kashmir is a very peaceful destination,» said India's G20 sherpa, Amitabh Kant. «We are seeing peace, progress and prosperity taking place here.» India is now promoting tourism in the region -- home to spectacular mountain scenery -- with welcome signs at the airport declaring it «paradise on earth». More than a million Indian citizens visited last year, to the delight of local tourism businesses. In the past, an event like the G20 gathering would have been met with a general strike in Srinagar, but now people are «going about with their activity», said Indian science and technology minister Jitendra Singh. «Jammu and Kashmir has moved on, the common man has moved on. He's seen two generations of Kashmiris being sacrificed on the altar of Pak-sponsored terrorism, he's no longer in a mood to succumb to that,» he told reporters. India accuses Pakistan of training and supporting militants in Kashmir, which Islamabad denies. Police said last week that security had been beefed up «to avoid any chance of terrorist attack during the G20», and on Monday soldiers and armoured vehicles were deployed at multiple locations in Srinagar. But many checkpoints -- wrapped in metal mesh and barbed wire -- were dismantled overnight, and some paramilitary police stood hidden behind G20 advertising panels in what appeared to be an effort to minimise the security forces' visibility. - 'Terrorist-infested places' - The three-day gathering is taking place at a well-guarded complex on the shores of Dal Lake in Srinagar. Questions have been raised over the choice of location. «Does the Modi government think that tourism can be promoted in closed conference halls next to a scenic lake being patrolled by marine commandos, with surveillance drones overhead?» columnist Bharat Bhushan wrote in the Deccan Herald newspaper. «Such staged events make it clear that the situation in J&K (Jammu and Kashmir) is far from normal.» Residents have chafed under the stepped-up security measures, with one describing the situation as «just a facade» on Monday. Hundreds have been detained in police stations and thousands, including shopkeepers, have received calls from officials warning against any «signs of protest or trouble», a senior official told AFP on condition of anonymity. To visit Kashmir, foreign journalists require special permission, which is not normally forthcoming, though it has been granted for the G20 meeting. The permits are valid only for coverage of the event itself and limited to the city of Srinagar. Holders are required not to «propagate anti-India narratives», nor visit «terrorist-infested places without prior permission». The People's Anti-Fascist Front, a new rebel group that emerged in the region after 2019, issued a statement condemning the G20 meeting and threatening to «deploy suicide bombers». «Today, tomorrow or day after. It will come,» it said. - Staying away - India holds the G20 presidency for 2023, and has planned more than 100 meetings across the country. Two Indian government ministers are attending the tourism event in Srinagar, but several Western nations are sending only locally based diplomatic staff. G20 member China, which is locked in a military standoff with India along their mostly undemarcated border in the Ladakh region, has refused to attend, and no government delegations are expected from Turkey or Saudi Arabia. Beijing also stayed away from earlier G20 meetings in Ladakh and in Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims as part of Tibet. Non-G20 member Pakistan controls a smaller part of Kashmir, and accused India of «arrogance» and violating international law by holding the tourism meeting in the territory, triggering a sharp retort from New Delhi. Last week, the UN special rapporteur on minority issues, Fernand de Varennes, said New Delhi was seeking to use the G20 meeting to «portray an international seal of approval» on a situation that «should be decried and condemned». India rejected the comments. © Agence France-Presse

More than 23,000 people in northeast Italy were still displaced Monday almost one week after heavy rains sparked widespread flooding and left 14 people dead, officials said. Most are staying with friends or family although almost 2,700 are being housed in hotels, schools, gyms and other centres laid on by local authorities, the Emilia Romagna region said. Six months of rain fell in just 36 hours early last week, causing almost two dozen rivers to burst their banks, transforming streets into rivers and submerging huge tracts of farmland. The clean-up has begun in some areas but others remain under water. Efforts began Monday to restore an Internet connection to hospitals, public offices, schools and people in isolated areas. The region said it had started to distribute 100 Starlink terminals from Elon Musk's SpaceX in the areas around Ravenna. Aside from the loss of life, as yet unquantifiable damage has been caused to one of Italy's wealthiest regions. Agricultural lobby Confagricoltura said at least 10 million fruit trees will have to be uprooted, and possibly as many as 40 million. More than 600 roads remained closed on Monday, with the region estimating at the weekend that more than 620 million euros was needed to rebuild the water-logged road and transport network. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni returned early from the G7 summit in Japan to visit some of the worst hit areas on Sunday, and is expected to hold a cabinet meeting on Tuesday to unblock emergency funds for the region. Several private groups have already pledged money to help Emilia Romagna get back on its feet, including Italian-French car giant Stellantis, which promised one million euros Monday, matching funds also pledged by Formula 1 and luxury carmaker Ferrari, which is based in nearby Maranello. France's LVMH, the world's biggest luxury group which includes Italian brands Bulgari and Fendi, and Kering, home to Gucci, have also made unspecified donations. The president of Emilia Romagna, Stefano Bonaccini, has drawn up a list of requests for government action, from compensation for flood damage to help for temporary agriculture workers and the suspension of tax and mortgage payments. Longer term, he says the region needs a comprehensive plan «for the reconstruction, maintenance and safety of the territory», to address the flood risks. © Agence France-Presse

This year's celebration of the Seychellois African heritage - FetAfrik - is set to have more participation from the private sector and more activities for the general public, the executive director of the Creative Seychelles Agency (CSA) said on Tuesday. Emmanuel D'Offay told reporters that he and his team are happy with the fact that the organisation of FetAfrik «this year did not entirely depend on the Creative Seychelles Agency.» «We do not have enough funds to do all activities by ourselves. One of our mandates is to create business opportunities for other people. We are a facilitator and we work alongside them. For example, it is easier to provide a discount on our restaurant than to provide funds for an activity. We are happy to see that business-minded individuals are starting to initiate activities rather than it being the other way around,» said D'Offay. He outlined that with the involvement of more people and businesses, there is the possibility of bringing the festival to other islands, or districts. «FetAfrik is really important for Seychellois, as it is a window to our African heritage. As a nation, we should never forget that we are from Africa. We cannot continue to celebrate our colonisers through La Francophonie or Commonwealth Day, without celebrating our African heritage. We want our people to be proud of their heritage,» said D'Offay. This year, the Creative Seychelles Agency decided to remove the opening ceremony of the festival as it is costly and restricted to certain people. FetAfrik 2023 scheduled for May 26-28, will allow Seychellois to embrace their African heritage through live performances, fashion shows, discos, culinary experiences, and more. On Friday, May 26, a local band, «Leko,» is working with the agency to host the «Leko Tanbour dan Victoria» (The Sound of the Drum in Victoria) event. This will take place at the Unity Stadium car park from 12 noon to 11 pm, with a musical show set to kick off at 6 pm. The day will conclude in an open-air disco. The director of Leko Prodiksyon, Berno Cedras, said that there will be African music as well as Seychelles' own dance; the 'Moutya'.   On Saturday, May 27, an African bazaar will be hosted at the National History Museum in which artisans and the African community in Seychelles will participate. It will start at 10 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. From 4 p.m. onwards, there will be live entertainment with the participation of the School of Dance and local artists. «This year we are placing a lot of emphasis on the participation of African communities in Seychelles. On Saturday, we will also have the participation of artists who we haven't seen performing for some time, in the likes of Jany Letourdie and Jean-Marc Volcy,» said D'Offay. Two fashion shows are also scheduled for Saturday - one in Victoria by the Belonie School and another at Maison Marengo by Telly's Modelling Agency. The students will be showcasing different African costumes made from recycled materials, whereas Telly's Modeling Agency will be hosting an Africa Day from 12 noon to 12 am. From 7 pm onwards, there will be dinner and a fashion show. On Sunday, May 28, at the Seafront Restaurant, there will be African Fusion - an event organised by another private company with food, drinks, a live band, and a fashion show. D'Offay outlined that this year there will not be an exhibition as the agency does not have a venue to hold such activity. «To compensate for the lack of an exhibition, on Saturday during the fair, we will have a live exhibition. We will have people doing braiding and other ways of styling hair,» he explained. This year, Creative Seychelles Agency organised the event with a budget of SCR250,000 ($19,000). 

Anxieties were mounting in Washington ahead of President Joe Biden's Monday meeting with Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy over negotiations to raise the US debt ceiling, less than two weeks before a key deadline to avoid a disastrous default. After a weekend of near deadlock, Biden arrived back in Washington late Sunday, cutting short a trip to Asia to resume talks ahead of the US Treasury's June 1 deadline for Congress to authorize more borrowing. Ahead of their Monday afternoon meeting, Biden and McCarthy spoke as the president flew back to the United States on Air Force One. «It went well,» Biden told reporters of the phone call as he arrived at the White House Sunday night. «We'll talk tomorrow.» And earlier in the day, McCarthy had said the conversation was «productive» -- in contrast to the sharp words exchanged in a previous round of negotiations. Still, the two sides seemed far from a final compromise, as Biden said Sunday that Republicans' latest demands for spending cuts as a condition for raising the US government borrowing authority were «frankly unacceptable.» «It's time for the other side to move from their extreme positions,» he said at a press conference before leaving the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan. And in a tweet, Biden maintained that he was categorically opposed to slashing social and healthcare assistance. «I will not agree to a deal with House Republicans that protects billions in subsidies for Big Oil while putting the healthcare of 21 million Americans at risk,» Biden said. And for his part, McCarthy said his position remained unchanged. «Washington cannot continue to spend money we do not have at the expense of children and grandchildren,» he said on Twitter after talking to Biden. - 'Something outrageous' - In his comments in Japan Biden voiced hope that «we can reach an agreement.» However, he cautioned he could not «guarantee that they wouldn't force a default by doing something outrageous.» Biden said he was looking into an obscure constitutional clause in the 14th Amendment, which states that the validity of public debt «shall not be questioned» -- and potentially authorizing the president to circumvent Congress and raise the debt ceiling himself. «I think we have the authority. The question is could it be done and invoked in time,» he said, noting the likelihood of legal challenges to this and the rapidly approaching debt deadline. The Treasury Department says the government could run out of money and default on payments on its $31 trillion debt as early as June 1 if Congress, where Republicans control the House of Representatives, does not authorize more borrowing. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday on NBC that June 1 remains a «hard deadline,» adding: «My assessment is that the odds of reaching June 15th, while being able to pay all of our bills, is quite low.» Biden had planned to travel from Japan to Papua New Guinea and Australia but cut short the Asia trip due to the debt talks. This added to the impression that he limped into the G7 summit as a weakened leader of a divided country stumbling from one crisis to the next as the world looked on in dismay. But national security adviser Jake Sullivan dismissed this idea, saying on CNN that Biden had led allies at the G7 summit in dealing with China, the war in Ukraine, the environment and other issues. «President Biden has been able to lead on the world stage and at the same time stay engaged to ensure that the United States does not default,» Sullivan said. - Spending and taxing - The debt ceiling raise is usually an uncontroversial annual procedure but this year the increasingly hard-right Republican Party has turned the threat of default into a powerful lever to try and force Biden to accept spending cuts. More borrowing is required imminently by the US government just to meet expenditures already agreed to in the current budget. Failure to strike a debt ceiling deal would leave Washington unable to pay its bills and trigger an array of economic shock waves worldwide -- including, the White House says, a US recession. With the 2024 election campaign underway and Biden potentially facing Donald Trump again, Republicans have seized the opportunity to paint Democrats as responsible for the country's gargantuan debt -- which in reality has built up over decades. Republicans say the debt ceiling can no longer be raised without harsh measures to reduce the deficit. These include slashing social spending and restricting access to Medicaid, the subsidized program providing health care for the poor. Biden has countered with a plan to reduce some spending but also to raise new revenue by increasing taxes on the richest Americans and corporations currently enjoying huge tax breaks. Republicans refuse to accept tax increases as part of a deal. «That's what we continue to have a significant disagreement on, on the revenue side,» Biden said. © Agence France-Presse

Two additional suspects in the fraud case involving cryptocurrency at Nouvobanq remain in police detention granted by the Magistrates' Court on Monday. The two suspects joined 12 others who were arrested and appeared in court last week. The court has granted the police permission to detain the two suspects until May 30 while they continue their investigation. The Magistrates' Court said it had granted the police's request since it believes a prima facie case has been made against the two suspects. Mid last week, Nouvobanq said in a press communique that an investigation is ongoing by Seychelles' authorities into what appears to be a fraudulent case. The case involved cryptocurrency between several parties based internationally and locally, in which Nouvobanq was the targeted bank. Nouvobanq said that the ongoing investigation is being conducted by the bank, the Financial Crime Investigation Unit within the Seychelles Police Force and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). The bank had reiterated its commitment to delivering a good service to its customers and continues to adhere to governance structures, which include the detection and prevention of fraudulent activities. Nouvobanq is one of several commercial banks in Seychelles, founded in 1991, in a joint venture between the Seychelles government and Standard Chartered Bank. As such it falls under the regulatory purview of the Central Bank of Seychelles (CBS). CBS told SNA that «the particular incident reported by Nouvobanq relates to cryptocurrency, which is not treated as a currency and is therefore not legal tender in Seychelles. Albeit not a means of payment currently offered by financial institutions licensed or regulated by CBS under the Financial Institutions Act or the National Payment Systems Act, CBS and other relevant authorities are cognisant of its increasing popularity globally and rising interest locally.» It added that given this reality and mindful of the associated impacts and risks, a National Risk Assessment (NRA) has been conducted, which has identified cryptocurrency or virtual currency/asset activities as an important risk to the domestic financial system. «The regulatory and law enforcement authorities are currently working to address the identified gaps and put in place a robust regulatory framework to help mitigate the country's exposure to the potential risks that can arise from such activities, which include money laundering and terrorism financing risks,» said CBS.