(Seychelles News Agency) - Tourism, health and education were areas of cooperation discussed by Seychelles’ president and the ambassador of Switzerland during the diplomat’s courtesy call to the head of state on Tuesday.

The Swiss ambassador, Philippe Brandt, spoke to the press after meeting President Danny Faure and Vice-president Vincent Meriton at State House, Victoria.

“There is one development which is worth mentioning and that is the introduction of a direct flight from Zurich to Mahe as of September with the Swiss airline Edelweiss Air. This will be a good development for tourism in Seychelles,” said Brandt.

Ambassador Brandt paid a courtesy call to President Faure on Tuesday. (Joena Meme) Photo License: CC-BY

Tourism is the main pillar of the economy of Seychelles, a 115-island archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. In 2017 over 349,000 visitors arrived in the island nation, 12,422 of which were Swiss nationals.

In a press release from State House, Faure “noted the importance of renewing the common interest between the two countries in advancing bilateral relations in a number of other areas.”

Talking about the health sector, Brandt said that they intend to strengthen this area of cooperation.

“We have a bilateral cooperation that exists already in the health sector but we can work together to further develop it,” said the ambassador.

When Brandt presented his credentials to former president James Michel in 2016, the Swiss ambassador said: “We have cooperation in health issues, in the University Hospital of Lausanne and Seychelles and all activities are in terms of research.”

Touching on education, he said that there is the possibility for Seychellois to obtain scholarships from the Swiss government to study in the European country.

The Swiss ambassador arrived in the country on February 4 and will leave on February 8.

Brandt is based in Antananarivo, Madagascar.