FECAS - ECSVS Forum

Seychelles and Brussels’ chambers of commerce sign cooperation accord

21-January-2015




A cooperation agreement was officially signed between the Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and the Brussels Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BECI) yesterday at the SCCI head quarters.

The accord was signed by SCCI chairman Marco Francis and the honorary consul general of Seychelles to Belgium, Philippe De Baets, in the presence of the designated ambassador for Belgium, Selby Pillay.

“Brussels is the capital city of Europe and the BECI has 35,000 members from all types of businesses. The BECI is a non-profit organisation operating with a yearly budget of 6 million euros and 40 permanent staff and receives its fund from its membership, paid activities and from companies who are in exporting.
We have a huge number of lobbying firms and with this agreement the SCCI will have access to this global network. BECI will also try to set a programme where the SCCI will learn more on how to function more effectively,” said Mr De Baets.

He added that Europe has been going through crisis and with this agreement more people from Brussels might be interested in investing in Seychelles and vice versa.

Mr Francis noted that this agreement is being finalised after more than a year of work.

“Now that we are part of the World Trade Organisation, our partners need to look at how to grow globally. We will have access to a big market where we can distribute our niche products. SCCI will also plan to organise a group of businessmen to travel to Brussels to market our services and products. As businessmen, we are the best advisors on the ground and we will be able to help one another. I highly recommend all the partners in business to seize this chance and make the most of it,” said Mr Francis.

Currently, the SCCI groups 70% of businesses in Seychelles.
The representative from BECI will be coming to Seychelles for a working visit at the end of this year.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=244268

Comment - We are then shouted shut our bucket up by everybody - Mr and Mrs Bruxelles with out that chamber of commerce accord we have been helping Belgium way back the issue of SENPA start it was not a lone way street. The mergers we brought about of Societe General, Bruxelles Big bank and BNP Bank, we were never said a thank you or anything not even a rotten banana. Via that coat of Arms Project which we presented to the Bruxelles University the long list of issues /benefits between Belgium, EU, the Francophone and Seychelles nobody mention this, the setting up of a Seychelles, Mauritius and Palestine Stock Market Exchange and the Belgium Stock exchange/market. . Our SNM/MPR Belgium important connections and Mr Gabriel Hoareau many efforts. The many times we use to stay at the Hotel la Grand Cloche

Just wait the many contributions at Belgium Royal Family level nobody talk and mention this.

Finally the great Regus Group today who way back we began to work issues out and today what they write on their website taking and keeping all the credits.

This is why we say we will go in exile to Russia or China or somewhere else.

Seychelles brings financial innovations to Clinton global initiative

09-May-2015
Finance, Trade and the Blue Economy Minister Jean-Paul Adam has represented President James Michel at the first Clinton Global Initiative Conference for the Middle East and Africa, where he has shared Seychelles' innovative financing initiatives as well as youth empowerment experiences.

The conference was convened in Marrakesh, Morocco, by the chairperson of the Clinton Global Initiative, former US President Bill Clinton, who had invited President Michel to bring Seychelles' perspectives in the context of development in financing as Africa's smallest nation.

Speaking on a panel aimed at addressing financing gaps for countries of the region, Minister Adam emphasised the need to look beyond one size fits all solutions and to adapt financing structures to the strengths and weaknesses of the respective economies of individual countries. He underlined the fact that island nations such as Seychelles, while not endowed with large commercial extra table resources, were blessed with a huge 'natural capital'. In the context of sustainable development it was important that countries could leverage this natural capital to better finance their development while not undermining the fragile ecosystem which is fundamental to the real value of this natural capital.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=245353

He used the example of Seychelles' debt swap initiative as a means by which states could reinvest existing debts into environmental protection.

"In a country like Seychelles, when you invest in environmental protection, you are also making your economy more resilient. While the rewards are not necessarily immediate, this investment can create many opportunities in relation to more value for sustainable fisheries, eco-tourism and similar economic activities," the minister remarked.

As part of the debt swap, Seychelles would jointly create with US-based non-governmental organisation, the Nature Conservancy, a special trust fund to manage a marine protected area of the most sensitive areas within its exclusive economic zone. This trust, the Seychelles Climate Change Adaptation Trust, would help to boost the environmental and economic resilience of Seychelles against climate change.

The minister also noted that it was important that long term sustainable finance be sourced for key industries in small and middle income countries. He noted that Seychelles has put forward the concept of developing Blue Bonds, whereby affordable funds can be mobilised to be invested in Seychelles’ fisheries management plans, mobilising new funding for the development of the Blue Economy.

He reminded the conference that the Africa and Middle East region had yet to fully profit from all the potential of its oceanic resources and to do so would involve reinforcing the protection of sensitive and under threat resources, while also ensuring that research and investment allow them to tap into under- explored and undeveloped potential.

The panel which also featured representatives of the private sector, financial institutions and NGOs, also took note of the challenges in reducing risks in relation to lending to key demographics such as small and medium enterprises (SME) and young entrepreneurs.

Minister Adam shared Seychelles' experience of offering government guarantees to SME loans which are provided both through state-owned and private banks. He also emphasised that there was a real need to improve capacity-building for young entrepreneurs and noted that in recent workshops for young people in Seychelles the main constraints raised were access to capital, available up-to-date information and capacity-building. Through its SME scheme the government also aims to ensure better access for young people to affordable financing.

The conference also emphasised the need to promote social entrepreneurs who could simultaneously enhance cohesion and availability of services in a community and create employment and wealth.

During the conference, Minister Adam also attended a special roundtable discussion with former President Clinton, former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo and the chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Mo Ibrahim, where key development issues were discussed.

Minister Adam took the opportunity to express the appreciation of Seychelles for the initiatives taken by foundations such as the Clinton Foundation to support sustainable development innovations. He also expressed appreciation for the technical help of the Clinton Global Initiative to develop the capacity for waste to energy generation in Seychelles.

Minister Adam was accompanied at the conference by energy and climate change principal secretary Wills Agricole and Fatoumata Sylla, director general for youth.