Canada expects to learn more from Seychelles in the fields of Blue Economy, climate change and sustainable development, said the newly accredited High Commissioner on Tuesday.

Pamela O’Donelle spoke to the press after presenting her credentials to President Danny Faure at State House, Victoria.

“We had a really good discussion on climate change, the Blue Economy and sustainable development, which are areas where Seychelles is leading not only in Africa but in the world,” said O’Donelle.

Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, is seen as a champion of the Blue Economy. In October last year, the island nation launched the world’s first sovereign blue bond, a financial instrument designed to support sustainable marine and fisheries projects.

“I think we can capitalise on that leadership that Seychelles has shown and perhaps collaborate more closely on these issues in the future because they are also issues of great importance to Canada,” she said.

Education is another area where the Canadian High Commissioner expects greater collaboration with Seychelles, and O’Donelle said that she would like to see more students from the island nation going to Canada.

“I want to explore the possibility of a memorandum of understanding with the government. Certainly, with the conversation that we had on the Blue Economy and sustainable development, I think Canadian academic institutions have a lot to offer on that and it’s a strength of the Canadian universities,” she added.

O’Donelle said that the issues of piracy and maritime security are other areas where both countries can share expertise.

The High Commissioner hopes to visit Seychelles more often and is going to do so very soon with the visit of Canadian navy vessel taking part in counter terrorism efforts off the coast of Somalia. The vessel is scheduled for a stop in the island nation along the way.

Diplomatic relations between Canada and Seychelles were established on June 29, 1976, the day the island nation got its independence from Britain.

The High Commissioner will serve a two-year mandate and will be based in Dar es Salaam, in Tanzania. She is also the High Commissioner for Zambia, Tanzania and Comoros.

Also accredited on Monday is the new ambassador of Qatar.

The new ambassador said that Qatar and Seychelles can further relations in trade and investment. (Patrick Joubert) Photo License:

Jabor Ali Hussain Al Hawashela Al-Dosari presented his credentials to President Faure at State House.

The new ambassador said that Qatar and Seychelles can further relations in trade and investment. He added that he still has to identify specific areas were Seychelles wants to invest and this will come through further discussions.

The Qatari ambassador will be based in Kenya for a two-year mandate.