(Seychelles News Agency) - Seychelles and Qatar signed two new agreements during a three-day official visit by President Wavel Ramkalawan that outline cooperation in military affairs and sports, State House said Monday.

The two agreements were signed by Sylvestre Radegonde, the Seychelles' Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani. 

Both MOUs were signed in the presence of Ramkalawan and the Emir of Qatar, Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. 

The new Memorandum of Understanding on military cooperation reflects a critical milestone in the Seychelles-Qatar relations in the domain of military and maritime security. 

Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, has a vast Exclusive Economic Zone of 1.4 million square kilometres which makes maritime surveillance a challenge for local law enforcement.

The new agreement will be important for maritime security and coastal surveillance which are prerequisites to safeguarding against human and drug trafficking, piracy and other forms of terrorism, State House said.

The Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of sports signifies the two countries' commitment to exploring other areas instead of the traditional fields of collaboration.

With the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, sports activities among others have been impacted by restrictions imposed on movements.