President Michel returns From Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week

Blue Economy Summit ‘a resounding success’

President James Michel returned from Abu Dhabi yesterday after attending the Blue Economy Summit which he has described as “a resounding success”.

While there, President Michel also attended the ceremony of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the sixth Zayed Future Energy Prize Awards Ceremony, as well as held a series of high-level meetings with several key personalities, among whom the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Meeting during the events of the first day of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, the two leaders discussed areas of ongoing bilateral cooperation between the UAE and Seychelles, and in particular the excellent cooperation established in the field of renewable energy.

President Michel expressed the profound appreciation of Seychelles to the UAE government for the co-hosting of the Blue Economy Summit in Abu Dhabi, which he described as a 'resounding success.'

Meeting on the margins of the Blue Economy Summit, President Michel and the President of the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dr John Ashe, discussed ways in which to improve the visibility of small island developing states (Sids) within the United Nations system and the debates of the General Assembly.

During his address at the Blue Economy Summit, Dr Ashe commended Seychelles, “a proud small island state, for its leadership in keeping the issue of the blue economy at the forefront of our attention during the preparatory process of the Third International Small Island Developing States Conference, to be held this September in Apia, Samoa”.

He added that Sids have “a special appreciation of seas and oceans”.

"They define a way of life. The seas and oceans surround them. The inhabitants of Sids have experienced the delicate flavour of fresh caught fish, and have seen the beauty of the full moon sparkling on the sea at night and more recently have begun experiencing firsthand the ravages of the impacts of climate change, the coastal inundation and the destruction of coastlines and the habitats of marine life. Sids know first-hand the adverse impacts on the way of life of their people, and in some cases how their geo-physical existence is at stake," said the President of the UNGA.

Following their attendance of the summit, President Michel and the director general of the UN Food and Agriculture Agency (FAO) José Graziano da Silva met to discuss the need to invest in fisheries projects for the continued food security of small islands states, as well as the importance of oceans within the international sustainable development agenda.

With the secretary general of the UNCTAD, Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, President Michel discussed ways in which trade and economic development can reduce the vulnerability of Sids as well as improve good governance through solid debt management and sustainability.

Dr Kituyi commended Seychelles' leadership in promoting the Sids concerns in the global development agenda, and assured the President of UNCTAD's support to Seychelles development programmes.

Last but not least President Michel met the Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sharif Cicip Sutardjo, who conveyed a message of support for the Blue Economy Summit to President Michel from the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

They discussed ways to improve trade between the two countries as well as developing sustainable fisheries projects.

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