Category Archives: Seychelles

Liberty House which houses the Ministry of Finance. (Gerard Larose)

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The fiscal performance of Seychelles in the first quarter of 2023 is much better than that of the same period last year, said a top official from the Ministry of Finance on Friday.

The comptroller general for financial planning and control, Astrid Tamatave, revealed in a presentation, that in the first quarter of 2023, the total revenue and grants was SCR2,067,714 ($157,104) compared to SCR1,856,634 ($141,253) in 2022.

"The increase in revenue comes mainly due to the fact that the Seychelles Revenue Commission was able to collect more from taxes than it did in quarter 1 of 2022," explained Tamatave.

Most taxes were collected from business taxes paid during the first quarter of the year since the deadline for the lodging of business tax returns is March 31.

Tamatave also showed that there has been more expenditure this year compared to 2022.

From January to March 2023, the total expenditure and net lending amounted to SCR2,133,260 ($162,556) and in the first quarter of 2022, this figure was SCR1,840,408 ($140,293).

An increase was also registered in terms of wages and salaries for the first quarter of 2023 and the total paid was SCR787,182 ($60,022) compared to SCR684,828 ($52,278) in 2022.

"The wages paid was more because in 2023 because there was the 13th month salary while in 2022, there was no such payment to public service workers," she added.

Tamatave said that ministries need to be more active with their capital projects to ensure that the projected budgets are used.

She pointed out that SCR1,007,761 ($76,848) was budgeted for capital expenditures for the first quarter but only SCR699,829 ($53,367) were used.

During the presentation, the director general for debt management, Dick Labonte, shared that Seychelles debt- to-GDP ratio was now at 64.2 percent, with the current debt at SCR17.8 billion ($1.35 billion) compared to SCR17.5 billion ($1.33 billion) in the first quarter of 2022.

Seychelles is aiming to reduce the country's debt-to-GDP ratio to 50 percent by 2026.

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Seychelles' fiscal performance in Q1 much better year-on-year - Seychelles News Agency

Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, is known for its stunning beaches, lush tropical forests, and rich biodiversity. As a small island developing state (SIDS), it faces unique challenges in terms of energy security and climate change. With a growing population and increasing demand for electricity, Seychelles has recognized the need to diversify its energy sources and transition towards renewable energy. Harnessing renewable energy not only offers the opportunity to reduce the countrys dependence on imported fossil fuels but also contributes to global efforts in mitigating climate change.

Currently, Seychelles relies heavily on imported diesel to generate electricity, which exposes the country to volatile international oil prices and supply disruptions. In 2018, approximately 95% of the countrys electricity was generated from diesel, with the remaining 5% coming from renewable sources, mainly solar and wind. Recognizing the potential of renewable energy, the government of Seychelles has set an ambitious target of generating 15% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

To achieve this target, Seychelles has been actively exploring various renewable energy options, including solar, wind, and ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC). The countrys abundant sunshine and strong trade winds make solar and wind energy particularly attractive options. In recent years, several solar photovoltaic (PV) projects have been implemented, including the installation of solar panels on rooftops of public buildings and the construction of a 5 MW solar farm on Romainville Island. Moreover, the countrys first wind farm, consisting of eight turbines with a total capacity of 6 MW, was commissioned in 2013 on Mah Island.

Despite these promising developments, Seychelles faces several challenges in harnessing renewable energy. One of the main challenges is the limited availability of land for large-scale renewable energy projects. As a small island nation with a high population density, land is a scarce resource in Seychelles. This constraint has led to the exploration of innovative solutions, such as floating solar PV systems. In 2020, the countrys first floating solar power plant, with a capacity of 3.5 MW, was inaugurated on the Providence lagoon.

Another challenge is the intermittency of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, which can lead to fluctuations in electricity supply. To address this issue, energy storage systems, such as batteries, can be used to store excess electricity generated during periods of high renewable energy production and release it when production is low. However, the high cost of energy storage technologies remains a barrier to their widespread adoption in Seychelles.

In addition to technical challenges, Seychelles also faces financial and regulatory barriers in scaling up renewable energy. The high upfront cost of renewable energy projects and limited access to financing can hinder the development of such projects. Furthermore, the absence of a comprehensive regulatory framework for renewable energy can create uncertainty for investors and project developers.

Despite these challenges, Seychelles has made significant progress in harnessing renewable energy, and there are numerous opportunities for further growth. International partnerships and support from development agencies, such as the World Bank and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), have played a crucial role in facilitating the implementation of renewable energy projects in the country. Continued collaboration with international partners and the private sector can help Seychelles overcome the challenges and unlock the full potential of renewable energy.

In conclusion, harnessing renewable energy in Seychelles presents both challenges and opportunities. By addressing the technical, financial, and regulatory barriers, the country can capitalize on its abundant renewable energy resources and move towards a more sustainable and resilient energy future. This transition will not only enhance Seychelles energy security but also contribute to global efforts in combating climate change.

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Harnessing Renewable Energy in Seychelles: Challenges and ... - EnergyPortal.eu

The dam, which was inaugurated on Wednesday, will be able to store 1.6 million cubic metres when full. (State House)

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Seychelles' La Gogue Dam, the largest water storage of the island nation, is back in operation after undergoing five years of work to enhance its capacity by 60 percent.

The dam, which was inaugurated on Wednesday, will be able to store 1.6 million cubic metres when full and thiswill partly address water scarcity which is more evident during the dry season from May to September when the southeast trade winds kick in.

The inauguration plaque was unveiled by Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan.

In his address, the Designated Minister, Jean-Francois Ferrari, said, "The maintenance of our people's wellbeing is closely tied to water availability. Many countries around the world face dramatic water scarcity as a fundamental challenge to their economic and social development. Seychelles is no different."

He said that "the regular and safe supply of water is one of the regular challenges facing our government today. Demand is rising but availability is stagnating. In our quest to dress our fair share of water problems, progress to build significant storage capacities in the like of La Gogue Dam has been slow mainly due to our limited financial resources to meet those very high investment costs."

The projectof raising the dam by 6 metres amounted to almost SCR400 million ($30 million) and was funded through a $20 million loanfromthe African Development Bankwith contributions from the government and the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC).

According to the chief executive of the Public Utilities Corporation, Joel Valmont, currently, the dam is at 82 percent capacity.

Valmont told reporters on Wednesday, that although the dam is operational, "at this point in time, our aim is to impound the dam to continuously increase the water in it for us to be able to subject it to a test that it needs to go through."

Valmont added that "if we get rainwater, it will fill the dam and what we decided at this time in our dry period, is gradually using the water for treatment at Hermitage to serve to a certain extent, the northern Mahe region and the central region."

He explained that the dam is connected to the Hermitage station and the zone covered by this station does not arrive to the south of Mahe.

"South Mahe from Cascade upwards to Port Glaud is still vulnerable. These areas are still depending on water from the rivers mainly and the fallback is from the desalination plants," he added.

Minister Ferrari said that "If we are to increase our resilience to the ever-increasing challenges of droughts, we have no choice but to give particular attention to the investments required in storage infrastructures such as this one and the likes of such dam projects in the southern part of Mahe and on Praslin."

La Gogue Damwas first inaugurated in 1979and Valmont said, "It has loyally served our growing populationuntil 2018, the year which we took it out of operation to enhance its capacityby 60percent."

The CEO said the project faced several challenges including the COVID-19 pandemicwhich caused "supply chain disruptions, costescalations, held up of contractor's workers and supervision personnelinternationally, and quarantine requirements upon entry in the country."

"Today, the La Gogue Dam stands taller, resilient and proud; making a remarkableimpression, on all who behold, this engineering accomplishment. [...]. This achievement has allowed us to take firmer strides towards achieving watersecurity on the main island," said Valmont in his address at the inauguration ceremony.

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Seychelles' La Gogue Dam back in operation with 60% increased ... - Seychelles News Agency

One of Seychelles' special nature reserves, Aride Island, has temporarily closed its doors to the public to concentrate on conservation work as migration brings more birds to the island, a not-for-profit organisation announced recently.

Located nine kilometres north of Praslin, the second most populated island, Aride was designated as a special nature reserve under the Seychelles National Parks and Nature Conservancy Act of 1975. It is managed by the Island Conservation Society (ICS) since 2003.

The Aride Island manager, Anthony Bentley, said that as the monsoon season changes, so are the priorities of the society.

"Seabirds are arriving to nest in their thousands, our focus now has to shift to monitoring these internationally important colonies. On top of this landing becomes unsafe for visitors and island staff during this time of the year," said Bentley.

Visitors will have to wait until September 2023 to disembark on Aride. September is the period of the year when the Northeast monsoon starts, allowing safer disembarkation directly on the beach via a small dingy in a narrow passageway that only the rangers of the island are accustomed to.

With 10 seabird species having made this inner island their home, Aride is seen as one of the most important seabird colonies in the Indian Ocean. Some species such as the frigate bird and roseate tern are rarely seen on other inner islands of Seychelles. Aride is also home to five species of endemic land birds such as the Seychelles warbler and the magpie robin.

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With such an abundance of key species, ICS is therefore keen to upscale conservation work and start new projects whilst the island is closed to visitors.

The director of science and projects of ICS, Greg Berke, expressed that during the closure to visitors, however, "we will still have visiting research teams coming to the island to collect valuable data."

"We also have maintenance of the island such as vegetation management and restoration and maintenance of our facilities. All of these will keep our team occupied and will enhance the visitor's experience when we reopen later this year," said Berke.

He added that "as a nature reserve, it is only right that we look after the biodiversity of the island as it is this key ecological aspect that has made Aride such a unique experience that draws visitors to the island each year which in turn allows Aride to raise funds for its conservation activities."

Due to a prolonged Southeast monsoon last year, which eroded the only beach on the island, Aride stayed closed to visitors until November. As of November 2022, a total of 3,000 visitors got the chance to the see what natural wonders Aride holds.

Most of the visitors were from cruise ships and tour operators but given its proximity to Praslin, small boat operators and Seychellois residents also visited.

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Seychelles' Aride Island Nature Reserve Temporarily Closes Until ... - AllAfrica - Top Africa News

Sanctioned Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashovs $500 million superyacht Nord is reportedly heading back home after frantically journeying to different parts of the world in an attempt to avoid being seized. More than a dozen luxury vessels linked to Russian oligarchs have already been seized so far as part of the sanctions announced by the US and allies since the beginning of the Ukraine war. Several of them have also been auctioned, including Andrew Guryevs $120 million superyacht Alfa Nero which was recently sold to Googles ex-CEO Eric Schmidt by Antigua. However, Nord has successfully managed to keep itself away from the clutches of the sanctioning authorities thus far.

Thats when Nord departed on a 7000-nautical-mile journey to Cape Town, South Africa, where it was not welcomed. The vessel also went dark en route by shutting off its location-transmitting transponders. It is believed that Nord never made it to South Africa and had to ultimately spend its winters in Seychelles, safely tucked away from the sanctioning authorities. The superyacht finally switched on its AIS tracking system after 8 months on June 12, somewhere near Indonesia. The vessels antics have put a big question mark on the effectiveness of the attempts made by the US and its allies to punish Russian billionaires and put pressure on Putin.

Superyacht Nord With an overall length of 141.63 meters, Nord is one of the biggest superyachts in the world, which is estimated to be worth $500 million. The gigantic luxury vessel was built by the German company Lrssen Yachts and was launched in 2021. Nuvolari Lenard is responsible for the exterior and interior design of the gorgeous superyacht. Nord has a volume of 10,154 GT a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure. She is powered by 4 MTU engines, which give her a top speed of 20 kn.

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For more than a year, Russia's richest man cleverly dodged the ... - Luxurylaunches

How debt-for-nature swaps successfully finance UNESCO World Heritage conservation in Belize and Seychelles  EIN News

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How debt-for-nature swaps successfully finance UNESCO World Heritage conservation in Belize and Seychelles - EIN News

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Seychelles, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Population pyramid of the Seychelles in 2020

About 90% of the Seychellois people live on the island of Mah. Most of the rest live on Praslin and La Digue, with the remaining smaller islands either sparsely populated or uninhabited.

Most Seychellois are descendants of early French settlers and East Africans who arrived in the 19th century. Tamils, along with other South Indians and Chinese (1.1% of the population) account for the other permanent inhabitants. About 1,703 (2000) expatriates live and work in Seychelles. In 1901, there were roughly 3500 Tamil speakers out of the country's population of 19,237. Tamil immigrants arrived in Seychelles as early as 1770 and were among the first settlers to the originally sparsely inhabited island nation.

Seychelles culture is a mixture of French and African (Creole) influences. The local Seychellois Creole (Kreol), a creole language derived from French and African tongues, is the native language of 91.8% of the people; but English and French are also commonly used. English remains the language of government and commerce.

About 91.9% of the adult population is literate, and the literacy rate of school-aged children has risen to well over 98%. Increases are expected, as nearly all children of primary school age attend school, and the government encourages adult education.

Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2022.[6]

The following demographic are from the CIA World Factbook[7] unless otherwise indicated.

Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 10.5% (Anglican 6.1%, Pentecostal Assembly 1.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.2%, other Protestant 1.7%), other Christian 2.4%, Hindu 2.4%, Muslim 1.6%, other non-Christian 1.1%, unspecified 4.8%, none 0.9% (2010 est.)

Seychelles has very little indigenous population and was first permanently settled by a small group of French colonizers, African, and South Indians in 1770. Seychelles modern population is composed of the descendants of French and later British colonizers, Africans, and Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern traders and is concentrated on three of its 155 islands the vast majority on Mahe and lesser numbers on Praslin and La Digue. Seychelles population grew rapidly during the second half of the 20th century, largely due to natural increase, but the pace has slowed because of fertility decline. The total fertility rate dropped sharply from 4.0 children per woman in 1980 to 1.9 in 2015, mainly as a result of a family planning program, free education and health care, and increased female labor force participation. Life expectancy has increased steadily, but women on average live 9 years longer than men, a difference that is higher than that typical of developed countries.[7]

The combination of reduced fertility and increased longevity has resulted in an aging population, which will put pressure on the government's provision of pensions and health care. Seychelles sustained investment in social welfare services, such as free primary health care and education up to the post-secondary level, have enabled the country to achieve a high human development index score, among the highest in Africa. Despite some of its health and education indicators being nearly on par with Western countries, Seychelles has a high level of income inequality.[7]

total population: 76.1 years. Country comparison to the world: 109thmale: 71.67 yearsfemale: 80.66 years (2022 est.)

at birth:1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years:1.06 male(s)/female15-64 years:0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over:0.70 male(s)/femaletotal population:1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

noun: Seychellois (singular and plural), adjective: Seychelles

predominantly creole (mainly of East African and Malagasy heritage); also French, Indian, Chinese, and Arab populations

Seychellois Creole (official) 89.1%, English (official) 5.1%, French (official) 0.7%, Other 3.8%, Unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.)[8]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

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Demographics of Seychelles - Wikipedia

Aldabra Atoll is the world's second-largest coral atoll - after Kiritimati (Christmas Island). It is part of the Outer Islands (Seychelles) in the Indian Ocean. Aldabra Island is located 1120 km (700 mi) southwest of Victoria (Mahe Island). The Aldabra Atoll has 4 larger islands, plus 40 smaller ones, all inside its lagoon. There are also a few very small islets located between Grand-Terre Island and Picard Islands.

A scientific research station of SIF (Seychelles Islands Foundation) is based at La Gigi village, Picard Island. The permanent staff of 12 people conduct research to study the biodiversity of Aldabra.

Aldabra is not easy to access. No helipads, landing jetties or airstrips, have been permitted to be constructed on the atoll. The closest airfield on Assumption is 50 km (31 ml) south-east of Picard. Supply ships that operate from Mahe provide food and other essentials to the scientists and staff at the station once per 2 months.

Cruises are operated by several cruise lines along with dive boats that may call on Aldabra Atoll on expedition tours. Visits by people other than SIF scientists and staff are strictly controlled. Only guided tours are offered with prior permission and current numbers indicate that an average of 900 tourists are able to see the atoll per year. Within Aldabra, paved walking paths exist from La Gigi village which leads to premonitory from where views of the mangrove species and the large lagoon (during low tides) are seen.

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Aldabra Atoll Seychelles cruise port schedule | CruiseMapper

After oxygen therapy for 5 years, Indian doctors help Seychelles woman breathe on her own again  The Indian Express

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After oxygen therapy for 5 years, Indian doctors help Seychelles woman breathe on her own again - The Indian Express

1. Air Seychelles to Launch New Route to Almaty This December  Astana Times
2. Air Seychelles Adds A New Destination And It's... Kazakhstan?  Simple Flying
3. Three New Direct Flights from Bulgaria to the Seychelles will be Launched in 2023  Novinite.com
4. Air Seychelles Announces New Service to Kazakhstan  RusTourismNews
5. View Full Coverage on Google News

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Air Seychelles to Launch New Route to Almaty This December - Astana Times