Seychelles and Palau - A shared vision for the development of Small Island Developing States
Tue, 30 June 2015 | Foreign Affairs
Seychelles President James Michel welcomed Palauan President Tommy Esang Remengesau at State House this morning, where the two leaders discussed state affairs in a tête-à-tête meeting.
They were joined for further discussions by the Vice-President, Danny Faure, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Transport, Joel Morgan, the Secretary General in the Executive Office of the President, Lise Bastienne, the Secretary of State for Cabinet Affairs and Head of the Civil Service, Mohammed Afif, the President’s Diplomatic Advisor, Ambassador Callixte D’Offay, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Barry Faure, the Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, as well as the Ambassador of Palau to United States of America, Ambassador Hersey Kyota and the Ambassador of Palau to the European Union/Climate Change, Ambassador Ngedikes Olai Uludong.
“It is a great privilege to host the Head of State of a fellow island brother as our Guest of honour at our National Day Celebrations. The visit of the President of Palau is an historic milestone in our relations. It highlights the special bonds of friendship between Palau and Seychelles on the basis of our common destiny and our shared vision for the development of Small Island Developing States. His presence amongst us is not only an opportunity for him to share in our festivities, to share our joy and achievements as a nation, but also an occasion to celebrate and strengthen even further the strong island kinship between our two brotherly countries and between islands everywhere,” said President Michel following the meeting.
President Michel said that Seychelles is proud to celebrate with Palau its insularity, affinity, common aspirations to development, as well as a joint commitment and dedication for the advocacy of SIDS to the international community.
He added that, as large oceanic nations, two island nations are placing paramount importance on their respective Blue Economies.
The two leaders discussed their respective country's progress concerning fisheries, aviation, tourism, environmental protection, renewable energy, economic reforms and wider issues of sustainable development.
They agreed that the close cooperation between Seychelles and Palau that is planned in the future will provide a clear example of SIDS-SIDS cooperation between individual islands across the three SIDS regions, something that they will seek to encourage between and amongst other island nations.
“This type of cooperation should be replicated in the Post-2015 era if small island countries or as we say ‘large ocean states’ are to benefit to the maximum from the implementation of the Post-2015 Development Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Change agreement as well as the SAMOA PATHWAY,” said President Michel.
President Tommy Esang Remengesau congratulated the people of Seychelles on the celebration of their National Day and commended the country for its beauty, values and progress.
“ As it is my first time in the Indian Ocean, it is an honour to be in Seychelles and I am reminded that we share the same values; that the development of a nation rests on the benefits it can bring to the people and that sustainability is at the heart of our island nations. We seek to continue to bring the same message of island people to the world community and work together in close collaboration,” said the Palauan President.
The two leaders also witnessed the signing of two agreements between the Governments of Seychelles and Palau, one being a General Cooperation Agreement and the second being a Short Stay Visa Waiver Agreement. They were signed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Transport, Joel Morgan, and the Ambassador of Palau to United States of America, Ambassador Hersey Kyota.