(Seychelles News Agency) - A French development assistant programme has given Seychelles a grant of SCR1.7 million ($120,000) to develop three projects within the blue economy.

The grant from the Solidarity Fund for Innovative Projects, Civil Societies, Francophonie and Human Development (FSPI) was presented by the Ambassador of France to Seychelles, Dominique Mas, to the Minister for Fisheries, Jean-Francois Ferrari, in a ceremony on Thursday.

The components of the project include transforming plastic waste into fuel, assessing waste being produced by the fishing industry and produce a video raising awareness on the blue economy.

Ferrari thanked the government of France and called on the different project teams to make good use of this financial support.

The donation coincided with the launch of the 'Blue Year of the Indian Ocean' programme in Seychelles. All three components of the programme will be managed by both the French Embassy and the Institute for Research and Development (IRD).

The grant was presented by the Ambassador of France to Seychelles, Dominique Mas, (Middle) to the Minister for Fisheries, Jean-Francois Ferrari, (2nd right) in a ceremony on Thursday.  (Seychelles Nation) Photo License: CC-BY

Ambassador Mas said that in the coming year, France will concentrate its efforts within the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) "on the major subjects of concern to the member states of the regional organisation; health naturally and primarily, but also economic recovery, maritime safety, youth and education, university mobility, climate change and the management of fragile ecosystems."

He added that the "Blue Economy, which is an immense resource for the diversification and growth of our economies, will, of course, be at the heart of our concerns."  

This programme at a cost of more than SCR10 million ($714,000) will benefit the IOC member states and more broadly the African coastal states of the Indian Ocean: namely South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya.

"The Seychelles benefit from a substantial part of this project since 17 percent of its total amount is allocated to the archipelago," said Mas.

The Solidarity Fund for Innovative Projects, Civil Societies, Francophonie and Human Development enables embassies to carry out innovative actions in the field with rapid impact and highly visible for the benefit of local populations.

The project can be carried out at the national or regional level. With a maximum duration of two years, each project has an amount ranging from 100,000 to one million euros. The funded projects can be taken up on a larger scale by the beneficiaries or by other development actors.