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President Wavel Ramkalawan this morning received a delegation from Climate Parliaments and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), led by Secretary General Mr. Sergio Missana, for a courtesy visit at State House. The delegation was accompanied by Hon. Waven William and Hon. Sandy Arrisol, both members of the Climate Parliament steering committee of the Seychelles National Assembly.
The visit comes as part of a Parliamentary Forum on Climate Financing, supported by the Green Climate Fund, bringing together parliamentary representatives, government ministries, international investors, and members of the Seychelles National Youth Assembly.
Welcoming the delegation, President Ramkalawan reaffirmed Seychelles’ unwavering commitment to environmental preservation and climate action: “Seychelles is very concerned about everything related to the environment and the impacts of climate change. We must promote Seychelles’ natural beauty and our environmental initiatives,” he stated, pledging his full support for the initiative, which aligns with the nation’s strategic priorities.
Discussions with the President focused on the delegation’s mission, key challenges faced by Seychelles and other island nations in the fight against climate change, and strategies to enhance sustainability in renewable energy and tourism.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Hon. William outlined the initiative’s key objectives: “The objective is to explore how Seychelles can benefit from different projects focused on sustainable tourism and renewable energy,” he explained, adding that multiple investment opportunities would be presented to attract financing.
Mr. Missana underscored the collaborative nature of the project, which is being undertaken with UNIDO’s support and backed by the Green Climate Fund across fifteen African nations. “Seychelles is one of the chosen countries, and we are beginning this project here, focusing on attracting climate finance particularly for renewable energy and sustainable tourism,” he said. “Seychelles aims to be climate neutral, and there is a growing awareness that the tourism industry should be more sustainable. We are very aligned and keen to collaborate,” he concluded.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.