MINISTRY
STATMENT BY MINISTER PATRICK PILLAY
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAITRS
ON THE FOREIGN POLICY OF SEYCHELLES
AND THE ROLE OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
( PRESENTED DURING THE CONFERENCE OF THE HONORARY CONSULS OF SEYCHELLES,OCTOBER 2007)
1. I sincerely welcome this opportunity to meet and to talk to all of you on a subject that is of common interest to all of us
- i.e.: the Foreign Policy of Seychelles today, in 2007, and beyond.
All of you would no doubt appreciate that foreign policy particularly its implementation, is basically a process.
It is a dynamic process requiring periodical adjustments to changes both at the national and international levels.
Our foreign policy has emerged through a process of gradual evolution, in line with the ever changing geo-political and geo-economic landscape.
National demands and expectations have changed and so too Seychelles international outlook, opportunities and obligations.
The evolution of Seychelles foreign policy today, manifest itself clearly in the country's economic development, political and social and economic maturity and a general self-confidence, in moulding a political and economic model that serves Seychelles national interests and our desires to contribute to the global well being.
Although the national interest is intricately interwoven within our foreign policy objectives, as is the case with all independent countries, as it represents an extension of our domestic policy, we recognise that we share a common humanity and a concern for all.
The objective of Seychelles' foreign policy is therefore to promote its fundamental interests and core values, through peaceful and cooperative diplomacy and yet, at the same time, remain cognizant of our interdependent nature.
Our approach is both pragmatic and complementary.
As a result, our foreign policy is increasingly being re-aligned, with a greater emphasis placed on the promotion of shared common values and economic ties.
This is in line with the Government's decision to expand and strengthen our relations with friendly States and to diversify our economy through the establishment of an international business centre and trade zone.
It is in this context that President Michel had decided, through a more proactive and dynamic foreign policy, to reenergise our international relations, with other States as well as multilateral agencies and non-governmental organisations, in order to forge new or renewed partnerships and strategic alliances.
For the same reason, we have re-organised and expanded our representation overseas, so as to take better account of new centres of strategic importance, regional alliances and common good and endeavours to further promote trade and business partnerships with due consideration being given to our limited human and financial resources.
In addition to Paris, Brussels and New York, two new embassies have been opened in Pretoria and Beijing.
Another one is shortly to be opened in New Delhi.
At the regional level, we are developing closer relations with our neighbours through membership of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) which complements our membership of the Indian Ocean Commission. On the 3rd of April 2007, Seychelles assumed the Chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Commission.
We are assuming this presidency with vigour, seriousness and a firm determination to succeed.
The Indian Ocean Commission, known as Commission de l'Océan Indien is an intergovernmental organisation that comprises, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, France (for Reunion) and the Seychelles to encourage together political, economic and cultural cooperation.
At the heart of our cooperation programmes lies the promotion of sustainable development.
Another important aspect of this approach is our continuing commitment to closer partnerships between the government and the private sector.
The increased involvement of private international investors in our fisheries, tourism and financial services sectors, are clear manifestations of this commitment.
The 1.3 billion dollar golf complex on Ile Aurore is a good example of foreign direct investment and when completed this project will be the largest investment in the Seychelles leisure industry.
At the local level, the presentation of Seychelles strategy 2017, launched by the President in March 2007, aimed at increasing Seychellois stakeholders in these key sectors, will be led by the private sector with the full support of the government as a facilitator.
It goes without saying that despite these changes, we continue to attach great importance to our traditional bilateral and multilateral relations, and to our participation in the United Nations, Commonwealth and Francophonie families of nations.
In these organisations as in others we are conscious of the fact, that in spite of our smallness, we have a role to play, not only for our national interests, but in support of our wider collective responsibilities.
2. We continue to use these fora to advance the cause of small states, their specificities and vulnerabilities, as well as the issues pertinent to middle-income countries like Seychelles.
We continue to canvas for a special and differential treatment of our countries to secure recognition of our disadvantages, natural or otherwise.
It is true that we have been compensated to some extent with trade preferences under the Lomé conventions and currently under the Cotonou Partneship Agreement.
However, the process of globalisation and liberalisation has led and continues to lead to an erosion of these preferences and may in the short term lead to a decline in the relative national prosperity we currently enjoy.
Moreover, our success within Africa context, has led to a significant decline in development assistance, particularly, concessionary financing, forcing us to revert to commercial financing mechanisms, with broader, long term repercussions.
It is therefore a fundamental necessity for us to continue to be at the forefront of negotiations for a special and different treatment, be it within the context of Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations with the European Union or in the context of the current WTO negotiations.
For instance, we need to ensure that small island states do not lose market share as a result of these negotiations.
We should be given the necessary flexibility and a transition period to undertake trade reforms required by the WTO as a general rule.
Whilst we continue to champion such causes, we know too that there are other great and important challenges ahead, such as avian flu, climate change, and security.
On those issues our voice is also being heard as part of a like minded international group.
3. We are grateful to all those countries that have established their respective resident Missions in Seychelles.
It is the Seychelles Government's policy to provide an attractive and conductive environment for the functioning of diplomatic and consular Missions in Victoria.
We welcome the opening of more diplomatic missions and regions international organisations in Seychelles.
In promoting bilateral relations, we welcome visits at whatever level. We do not impose a quota on such on incoming visits.
This year alone we received some very important visits, in particular the visit of the President of the Republic of China, and the President of the Republic of Botswana!
I commend those of you for being actively involved in promoting the regular exchange of bilateral visits and increased trade and economic cooperation.
As consuls, there are a lot that you can do and be personally involved in bringing about a qualitative change in our bilateral relations.
I feel that the Honorary Consuls should have the relevant charts in their offices to indicate figures pertaining to visits, trade and investment during their term of office.
4. Another objective of our foreign policy is to gain more and more credibility and visibility in the international arena.
You will recall that in his address to you, in March 2005, the President of the Republic announced his intention to be personally present on the international scene, whenever or wherever Seychelles' main interests are at stake.
The successful visits of the President to many European, Middle Eastern and Asian countries and his active participation in several international conferences have given a new impetus to bilateral and multilateral relations and paved the way for a quickly growing cooperation with these countries and organizations.
I alluded earlier to the expansion of our diplomatic representations abroad.
The fact that from a geo-political point of view, we are trying to balance the creation of those missions is to increase Seychelles diplomatic exposure in a more visible way.
It also enables us to "go global" in an interdependent world in which many countries of your jurisdictions are the engines of growth to which we must pay special attention.
Also, improvement, in our economic outlook combined with our reputations as an environment friendly and idyllic holiday destinations
- images actively promoted by our government agencies and representatives, have increasingly put Seychelles on the World map.
In this context we need to take other factors into consideration.
It will be recalled that the year 2006 marked a continued and enviable movement upwards for Seychelles on the ladder of the United Nations Human Development Index.
Our presidential and parliamentary elections also provided a particular focus for the international and diplomatic activity.
The current chairmanship of Seychelles of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) the appointment of two Seychelles nationals to the Economic Forum of Young Global Leaders and to the post of Executive Director of Africa's Development Bank East Africa constituency and the election of a Seychellois as one of the experts on the UN Commission on the limits of the Continental Shelf for the African Group are measures of the country's growing regional and international reputation in the political, economic and environment matters.
In the same spirit of making Seychelles more visible, give the country maximum exposure and promote its development needs it is our wish to create an international association of Friends of Seychelles with the purpose of enhancing relations and opening up new opportunities for Seychelles.
This association to be composed of former diplomats accredited to Seychelles and Honorary Consuls and other friends of Seychelles will be subject to discussion during our present meeting.
5. Talking about development needs I wish to emphasise the importance of training and human resource development our project to launch a university in Seychelles is based on the development of our human resource capacity, intellectually empowering our people with the knowledge and skills that will permit our country to advance in the world economy and succeed as a knowledge-based society.
In this regard, the project will require extensive resources and the development of affiliations with accredited partners.
6. Seychelles is among the few countries short-listed eligible to travel soon in the Schengen countries without the requirement of a visa.
This decision will come into effect as soon as it is ratified by the EU member States.
The decision by EU is a sign of respect and credibility which the EU has for Seychelles.
7. On our part, we are determined to bring a business like approach to the consular work.
Every modern business starts from a mission statement or Roadmap that states clear objectives.
As I indicated earlier, in that modern world, foreign policy is not divorced from domestic policy but is a central part of any political programme.
In order to achieve our goals for the people of Seychelles we need a foreign strategy that supports the same goals.
This draft mission statement, or Roadmap, which has already been submitted to you will be discussed and formalised at the end of this meeting.
This will be your contract with the Seychelles people on foreign policy.
8. I hope I have been able not only to briefly outline the main elements in Seychelles Foreign Policy but in particular to show the new trends, ideas and forces shaping that foreign policy and its development agenda.
It is not possible to go through all the details of each and every issue.
But I welcome you to follow up with me and my collaborators should you require more details for your information and clarification.
This presentation will be circulated to you.
Attached to it you will also find the concise areas of focus of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Thank you for your attention.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
AREAS OF FOCUS
- NEW ACTIVITIES
1. The Ministry will continue playing a constructive role in the United Nations, in the context of the ongoing reforms, and with a view to contributing to multilateral efforts, with an outside the UN system:
-Towards peace, international security and achieving the Millennium Development Goals
-As well as towards a fair treatment for middle income countries and small island developing states
2. The Ministry will consolidate the Country's relations with the European Union and with traditional bilateral partners as well as develop/increase relations and exchanges with the emerging Asian, African and South American powers and superpowers, and the young East European democracies and
3. The Ministry will further develop ties of friendship and cooperation with neighbour sister islands, special emphasis being put:
-On the (rotating) chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Commission.
Seychelles has now assumed the chairmanship
-And on sub-regional integrated co-development within IOC, whose objectives and programs are fully compatible with Seychelles' identity, specificities and needs.
4. The Ministry will also focus on cooperation and exchanges:
-Within regional groupings in particular the African Union, COMESA, SADC and the ACP, as well as within regional financial institutions
-As part of the Commonwealth and La Francophonie
-And in the context of existing South-south strategic partnerships or programs such as the Non Aligned Movement, the China-Africa Forum for Cooperation, the Africa-Korea Forum and NEPAD
5. The Ministry as a central contact agency will continue assisting other Ministries and Seychellois public institutions dealing with:
-The consolidation and expansion of Seychelles' image as a unique tourism destination
-The promotion of Seychelles as a leader in environmental preservation; as a regional hub in relation to fisheries, transport and communication services, and as a competitive safe and secure international investment option benefiting for a dynamic and favourable legal, banking and IT environment.
6. To that effect, the Ministry will rebuild in 2007 the capital of skills it used to have at its disposal, with a new organizational chart reflecting an adequate repartition of tasks and responsibilities, especially at management level, in the fields of Administration and Finance, Bilateral Affairs, Multilateral Affairs, Legal Affairs and Research, and Protocol.
7. And last but not the least, the Ministry will undertake a cost-effective redeployment of Seychelles' diplomatic presence to better tap existing resources on the regional and international scenes and take advantage of the country's experience in all sectors of vital relevance to its development.
8. The Ministry will play a catalytic role in engaging the country, in a proactive manner, in the process of negotiations on a Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) configuration in which Seychelles forms part.
9. The ultimate objective is to ensure that the outcome of negotiations is the best possible arrangement to govern the country's economic and trade development relationship with the European Union (EU) whereby the following three top priority targets are achieved:
-Obtaining advantageous access to the EU market for the country's existing exports (especially canned tuna) and for potential future exports such as existing exports with added value, while keeping in mind parallel trade developments within the WTO framework and relating to the EU trade policy vis-à-vis non-ACP countries that inevitably impact negatively on the margin of EU market preferences enjoyed by the ACP countries.
-Complementing national efforts to diversify the country's exports-base Contributing to the further social, economic and environment development of the country, with due regard to the country's right to policy sovereignty
-The year 2007 is a critical time for all parties to the EPA negotiation process since, as per the agreed negotiation roadmap.
-It is to be the final year of negotiations and the EPA is expected to come into force at the beginning of 2008.
-For Seychelles, this necessitates expediting national preparations with a view to ensuring that all the country is specific concerns and needs are adequately reflected in the negotiation process and its outcome.
In 2007, focus should be on the following:
-Strengthen the participation of national stakeholders in the national preparatory process to ensure all genuine interests and concerns are taken on board, through a series of stakeholder consultative workshop.
-Finalise all necessary studies relating to the impacts of EPA negotiable issues on Seychelles -Complete a comprehensive analysis of possible alternative to the EPA to enable an informed final decision
10. Contribute to the country's integration in the region and its participation in relevant Regional Integration Organisations.
-The priority objective is to strengthen national coordination and enhance cooperation between key national actors, and the country's relationship with these regional organisations.
Focus in 2007 will be on putting in place a more effective, participatory and proactive national structure.
11. Support the further socio-economic and environmental development of the country by assisting in the mobilisation of development assistance, both financial and technical, and in promoting the country among potential investors.
-Focus in 2007 will be on strengthening the country's relationship with international development partners (financial institutions and other relevant international agencies, facilities and bodies);
-forming strategic alliances with countries that share and understand the country's specific development needs as a SIDS, and strengthen ties with organisations (regional and multilateral) that promote the recognition of the special vulnerabilities of SIDS.
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