Category Archives: Seychelles

06 October 2020 |

President Danny Faure chaired a seventh meeting of the high-level forum leading the implementation of the National Integrated Framework for the Reopening of Seychelles at the STC Conference room this morning.

The Public Health Commissioner, Dr Jude Gedeon, shared an overview of the global situation and the local context with regards to COVID-19 to date, explaining that the pandemic is still expanding globally. In Seychelles, he confirmed that there are currently 5 active cases.

This was followed by report from the SHTAs Chairperson, Mrs Sybille Cardon, updates from the SCCI, SIFCO, CEPS and SCAA. The Principal Secretary for Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Mr Alan Renaud, gave a brief on the new visitor management platform; the Travizory technology that enables authorities to run rapid and efficient vetting procedures on information provided by incoming travellers in a bid to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

There were also updates from the Department of Tourism and Seychelles Tourism Board on the number of tourism establishments certified as well as on the forecast of expected flights, marketing, and tourism arrivals in Seychelles. The Chairperson of the Task Force Committee and Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Mr Didier Dogley, also provided an update on the committees work over the last two weeks.

Members discussed lengthily on the travel advisory for visitors from permitted countries and the procedures that have been divided into 2 categories: Category 1 includes permitted countries considered low and medium risk and Category 2 includes Special Status. In an effort to provide more confidence to tourism partners in key source market countries, authorities in Seychelles have decided to provide Special Status to seven countries: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and the United Arab Emirates. Out of these seven, three countries have now been categorised as high-risk countries: UAE, France and the United Kingdom. Members also discussed the need to operationalise the stay safe hotel whereby a tourist that tests positive for COVID-19 can stay in a beautiful and secure environment.

The forum reiterated the importance for local citizens to observe the public health guidelines in place.

The next meeting will take place on 20 October 2020 under the chairmanship of one of the high-level forum members.

Present for the meeting this morning wasthe Minister of Finance, Trade, Investment and Economic Planning, Amb. Maurice Loustau-Lalanne,the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Mr Didier Dogley,the Minister Fisheries and Agriculture, Mr Charles Bastienne,Minister for Employment, Immigration and Civil Status, Mrs Miriam Tlmaque, Secretary of State for Health, Ambassador Marie-Pierre Lloyd, Special Advisor to MFTIEP, Mrs Sitna Cesar, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Kishnan Labont, Principal Secretary Economic Planning, Mrs Elizabeth Agathine, Principal Secretary Health, Dr Bernard Valentin, Special Advisor Health, Dr Loren Reginald, Chairman Public Health Authority, Dr Conrad Shamlaye, CEO of the Healthcare Agency, Dr Danny Louange, the Public Health Commissioner, Dr Jude Gdon, Principal Secretary for the Department of Immigration and Civil Status, Mr Alain Volcere, Principal Secretary for Risk and Disaster Management, Mr Paul Labaleine, the Special Advisor for Employment, Ms Veronique Bresson, Special Advisor Immigration and Civil Status, Mr Michel Marie, CEO for SETS, Mr Guy Morel, Chief Policy Analyst, Employment, Ms Susan Morel, Director General for Employment Promotion, Mrs Letimie Dookley, Chief Immigration Officer, Mr Michel Elisabeth, Principal Secretary Tourism Department, Mrs Anne Lafortune, CEO for the Seychelles Tourism Board, Mrs Sherin Francis, Principal Secretary for Civil Aviation, Ports & Marine, Mr Alan Renaud, Principal Secretary for Local Government, Mrs Marie-Celine Vidot-Jeannevol, Deputy Governor of the Central of Seychelles, Mr Christopher Edmond, the Chairperson of SCCI, Mr Oliver Bastienne, Secretary General SCCI, Mrs Iouana Pillay, Health Coordinator for Faith Based Organisation, Dr Anne Gabriel, representative of SIFCO, Mrs Marion Gendron, the Chairperson of SHTA, Mrs Sybille Cardon, the Secretary-General of SFWU, Mr Antoine Robinson, representatives of the La Digue Business Association, Mr Jos St Ange, Chairperson of CEPS, Mr Jude Fred, member of CEPS, Dr Nirmal Jivan Shah and CEO CEPS, Mr Michel Pierre.

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President Faure chairs high-level meeting on the resumption of commercial flights to Seychelles - Office of the President of the Republic of...

Seychelles remote Aldabra Atoll is being used as a case study in a new reporting framework devised by international scientists to help protect World Heritage Sites from almost 300 different invasive alien species.

Frauke Fleischer-Dogley, the chief executive of the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) which manages the site said, We are delighted that Aldabra is being featured as a key case study and it will allow us to share our lessons learnt and best practices within a network of sites and outstand our universal value.

The new framework which has been applied to seven World Heritage Sites covers data collection and reporting on invasive alien species pathways. This includes the presence, impacts, management, predicting future threats and management needs, identifying gaps and assigning an overall threat score to the protected area.

A co-author, David Richardson, said that World Heritage Sites face growing threats from a range of biological invasions which impact native biodiversity and the delivery of ecosystem services.

One key element of the new framework is listing all invasive alien species present where we can track the changes in threat or implementation of effective management over time, added Richardson.

SIFs director of research and conservation, Nancy Bunbury said, UNESCO World Heritage Sites are areas of outstanding universal value and conservation importance to humanity. However, they are threatened by a variety of global change drivers, including biological invasions from a range of terrestrial, freshwater and marine species.

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She added that those sites were ideal test sites for the reporting framework but it is applicable to all protected areas and we hope will become a standardised tool for assessing invasive alien species impacts and management globally.

Fleischer-Dogley said that generally resources to manage protected areas are scare and therefore to be able to maintain the outstanding universal of World Heritage sites requires effective management and cost-efficient eradication and control of invasive alien species.

Humanity accepted these sites as gifts and by doing so accepted universal responsibility to look after them. This also means making the necessary resources available, she added.

She added that there has been a decrease in the number of invasive alien species listed due to effective eradication, highlighting management success at the site over the last few years.

Aldabra, one of the most distant islands of the Seychelles archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, is home to the endemic giant tortoise, the frigate birds, tropicbirds and the red-footed booby among other species.

Since eradication efforts resumed in 2012 under the Foundations EU-funded invasive alien species project, SIF has successfully eradicated several invasive alien species on Aldabra atoll.

Originally posted here:

Seychelles: Seychelles' Aldabra Atoll to Be Part of Study to Protect World Heritage Sites From Invasive Species - The Streetjournal

07 October 2020 | Cabinet Business

President Danny Faure chaired a scheduled meeting of the Cabinet today, Wednesday 7th October at which a number of legal and policy memoranda were considered.

Cabinet approved proposed amendments to the Companies Act 1972.

Cabinet approved for the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the National Institute of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Seychelles Institute of Technology.

Cabinet also approved the Broadcasting and Telecommunication (Quality of Service) Regulations.

Cabinet approved the introduction of type approval fee for approval of radio communication equipment by the Department of Information and Communication Technology.

Cabinet approved for the setting up of a demountable fruits and vegetables market at Roche Caiman.

Cabinet was briefed on the COVID -19 situation globally and locally. Cabinet also addressed pertinent issues related to management of visitors and returning Seychellois to Seychelles.

Originally posted here:

Cabinet Business - Wednesday 07th October 2020 - News - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles

The Council today decided to add Anguilla and Barbados to the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes. Cayman Islands and Oman were removed from the list, after having passed the necessary reforms to improve their tax policy framework.

The EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes is part of the EU's external strategy for taxation and aims to contribute to ongoing efforts to promote tax good governance worldwide. It lists non-EU jurisdictions that either have not engaged in a constructive dialogue with the EU on tax governance or have failed to deliver on their commitments to implement reforms to comply with a set of objective tax good governance criteria, concerning tax transparency, fair taxation and implementation of international standards against tax base erosion and profit shifting.

Anguilla and Barbados were included in the EU list following peer review reports published by the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes, which downgraded the ratings of Anguilla and Barbados, respectively, to "non-compliant" and "partially compliant" with the international standard on transparency and exchange of information on request (EOIR).

Cayman Islands was removed from the EU list after it adopted new reforms to its framework on Collective Investment Funds in September 2020.

Oman was considered as compliant with all its commitments after it ratified the OECD Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, enacted legislation to enable automatic exchange of information and took all the necessary steps to activate its exchange-of-information relationships with all the EU member states.

Following this update, twelve jurisdictions remain on the list of non-cooperative jurisdictions: American Samoa, Anguilla, Barbados, Fiji, Guam, Palau, Panama, Samoa, Seychelles, Trinidad and Tobago, the US Virgin Islands and Vanuatu.

As regards Annex II - state of play of pending commitments - due to the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic the Council decided to extend several deadlines for these commitments. The Council also decided today to remove Mongolia and Bosnia and Herzegovina from Annex II after those countries deposited the instruments of ratification of the OECD Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, as amended.

The EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes was established in December 2017. It has been revised several times. The most recent substantial revision took place in February 2020. From 2020 on, it is to be updated twice a year.

The list is included in Annex I of the Council conclusions on the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes. Those Council conclusions also contain a state-of-play document (Annex II) identifying non-EU jurisdictions which do not yet comply with all international tax standards but have provided sufficient undertakings to reform their tax policies.

The jurisdictions are assessed on the basis of a set of criteria laid down by the Council in 2016, concerning tax transparency, fair taxation and implementation of international standards against tax base erosion and profit shifting.

The Council's decisions are prepared by the Council's Code of Conduct Group which is also responsible for monitoring tax measures in the EU member states.

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EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes: Anguilla and Barbados added, Cayman Islands and Oman removed - EU News

The latest Crystal Blockchain report has been released and shows that Seychelles, an African country, had the largest amount of sent and received bitcoin transactions globally in the first half of 2020.

Seychelles has maintained this record since 2017 and this year looks no different, despite the United States and the United Kingdom having more registered exchanges.

SEE ALSO:75% of Crypto Exchanges in Africa with Porous KYC are Registered in Seychelles, Says Latest CipherTrace 2020 Report

The report shows significant bitcoin transfer volumes have taken place in non-G20 countries with Seychelles and Singapore standing out as exceptions. The reason for this is the large number of exchanges registered in these countries.

Some of the known exchanges registered in Seychelles contributing to these huge volumes include:

A related report, recently released by CipherTrace, shows that72% of African domiciled crypto assets exchanges and services are registered in the Seychelles and, 70% of those Seychelles-domiciled exchanges and services have bad or porous KYC.

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Seychelles Accounted for the Largest Amounts of Sent and Received Bitcoin Transactions in H1, 2020, Says Crystal Blockchain Report - bitcoinke.io

VICTORIA, Seychelles, Oct. 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The hype in Decentralized Finance (DeFi) quickly dissipated as DeFi-related assets recorded sharp reversals in their price. DeFi users that were overleveraged observed their wealth evaporate as the value of their collateral diminished. As DeFi interest subsides, NFT interest has been piqued.

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are distinct token types that derive their utility from being diverse and unique from other tokens. Data is suggesting that we are approaching the next wave of NFT adoption.

NFTs can be considered to be digital collectables which are traded and secured on a blockchain infrastructure. They are commonly tied to non-fungible ERC721 tokens on the Ethereum blockchain. Google data shows record-high search volume for the term "NFT".

DigiCol will provide the infrastructure for the next wave of NFT adoption. NFT users have previously faced stiff technical barriers to creating and using NFTs. It typically requires advanced coding knowledge and a deep familiarity with third-party wallets like MetaMask.

DigiCol is the first platform to empower users with one-click NFT creation. Moreover, users will be able to trade NFTs in the DigiCol marketplace without the hassles of connecting to a third-party wallet.

The previous NFT hype cycle resulted in some tokens being traded for over $100,000. But as interest resurfaces, NFT users will demand more sophisticated infrastructure and more liquid markets.

NFTs have found huge markets in fields like art collectibles and online gaming. We have already observed decentralized marketplaces emerge to cater to these niches. But none have the one-click creation and seamless trading features of DigiCol.

After DigiCol users create NFTs, they can launch them into a liquid marketplace and earn rewards when their tokens are traded. Users that own NFTs can earn rewards in tokens native to the DigiCol platform by showcasing their holdings in the marketplace.

NFTs created on DigiCol can also be used to access highly-demanded digital assets like Ethereum and USDT. NFTs can be placed into secure smart contracts as collateral to borrow Ethereum and USDT.

DigiCol will drastically change how crypto enthusiasts interact with NFTs. Previous spikes in NFT activity have been predominantly driven by hardcore enthusiasts with the technical knowledge to create and trade. DigiCol will open the gates for a much wider user base.

Those that wish to experiment can easily create unique tokens. Those that wish to speculate on the future value of NFTs will find a vast marketplace on DigiCol. Creators who want to put their design skills to the test can launch their custom NFTs to the market and gauge demand. Those that create the most coveted NFTs will be highly rewarded.

DigiCol is changing the NFT landscape. It will provide a multi-functional infrastructure that makes NFT creation and trading seamless and secure. Built upon the Ethereum blockchain, DigiCol has immense amounts of globally-distributed computing power securing NFT ownership and transactions.

Social linksTwitter: https://twitter.com/DigiColofficialMedium: https://medium.com/@digicolSubstack: https://digicol.substack.com/Telegram: https://t.me/digicolofficialTelegram News Announcement: https://t.me/digicolnews

Media contactCompany: DigiCol Ventures LimitedName: David Lee, CMOE-mail: cs@digicol.ioMedium: https://medium.com/@digicolPhone: +248887654786

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3dc0e513-a48f-4087-a879-b276b071fd0f

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Collectibles Go Digital with DigiCol, Multi-functional Infrastructure for the Next Wave of NFT adoption - GlobeNewswire

What is the price for luxury resorts in Seychelles?

Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.

Do any luxury resorts in Seychelles have a pool?

Popular luxury resorts in Seychelles that have a pool include:

What are the best luxury resorts in Seychelles?

Some of the best luxury resorts in Seychelles are:

What is the price for luxury resorts in Seychelles this weekend?

Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.

Which luxury resorts in Seychelles offer a gym?

A gym is available to guests at the following luxury resorts in Seychelles:

Which luxury resorts in Seychelles have rooms with a private balcony?

A private balcony can be enjoyed by guests at the following luxury resorts in Seychelles:

Which luxury resorts in Seychelles have rooms with great views?

These luxury resorts in Seychelles have great views and are well-liked by travelers:

Which luxury resorts in Seychelles are romantic?

These luxury resorts in Seychelles have been described as romantic by other travelers:

Which luxury resorts in Seychelles are good for families?

Families traveling in Seychelles enjoyed their stay at the following luxury resorts:

Do any luxury resorts in Seychelles offer free breakfast?

Free breakfast can be enjoyed at the following luxury resorts in Seychelles:

Which luxury resorts in Seychelles have free parking?

These luxury resorts in Seychelles have free parking:

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THE 10 BEST Seychelles Luxury Resorts - Jul 2020 (with ...

News item | 21-07-2020 | 09:35

After 5 years H.E. Mr. Frans Makken, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Kenya, Somalia and the Seychelles, will return to the Netherlands. The embassy thanks Ambassador Makken for his leadership and extraordinary service. We took the opportunity to ask the Ambassador a few last questions before his departure.

Ambassador Frans Makken: My five years in Kenya have been a tremendous experience and I could not imagine a better way to end my career. Kenya has proven to be a dynamic, beautiful and inspiring country to work in. But the posting as such, wearing four different hats, was also a culmination of the experience that I have gathered along the way. My time with FAO came in handy as Permanent Representative to UN Office Nairobi, the years spent in agro-economic research fit very well with the mainstay of our programme for Kenya (notably agriculture, food security and water) and my experience with conflict areas prepared me for the situation in Somalia. A new, but very pleasant experience was dealing with a member of Small Island Development States such as the Seychelles. This has made the work extremely diverse and interesting. Outside office hours, my family and I also greatly enjoyed travelling in Kenya and the region. A personal highlight for me remains Amboseli National Park, nothing beats seeing so many elephants roam at the foot of the Kilimanjaro.

Ambassador Frans Makken: Somalia and the Netherlands are well connected through the sizable Somali diaspora in the Netherlands. It is fantastic to see that many Dutch Somali have returned to Somalia and Somaliland to trade, invest or take up positions in government and politics. In contacts this immediately creates a bond, and it has helped tremendously in our dealing with the complex society that Somalia is. We provide a lot of humanitarian support to Somalia through United Nations, European Union and civil society, but found our bilateral niche in the justice sector, dealing with matters such as strengthening the judiciary, human rights and security through CVE (Countering Violent Extremism). The Dutch navy has participated in the highly successful anti-piracy missions, in conjunction with support for more humane prison regimes. This was originally focused at pirates, but increasingly juvenile and female prisoners, as well as perpetrators of economic crimes are benefiting from these programmes. An important offshoot of our anti-piracy activities has benefited the Seychelles, where we have supported the prison management, the construction of a court house for pirate trials and today the Seychelles is host to the EU-supported Regional Centre for Operational Coordination (RCOC) on maritime security.

Ambassador Frans Makken: Nothing can be achieved without teamwork and I have been particularly proud of the very dedicated and professional colleagues that I was privileged to work with. We achieved a lot in going from aid to trade, starting innovative projects and coping with challenges during election time and currently COVID-19. We have introduced innovative financing methods to attract private investment in the water sector; we initiated the set up a multi-disciplinary platform in the health sector uniting private sector, government and civil society; we were instrumental in the digitalization of court systems which proved to be particularly helpful during Covid-19; and we set up an Agricultural Working Group to connect Dutch and Kenyan actors in agricultural development. This is just to name a few! I should also mention the fact that we are an active member of Team Europe, which represents the largest trade and development partner of Kenya. Our concerted effort allowed us to promote stability around election time, to support human rights defenders, contribute to food security and establish a vibrant EU-Kenya business dialogue. It is the mutually beneficial EU-Kenya cooperation that will ensure both our regions and countries flourish.

Ambassador Frans Makken: After a long and fulfilling career, time has come for me to retire. But the wrapping up and saying goodbyes is quite unlike I ever could have imagined. Part of my colleagues are either repatriated to the Netherlands or in quarantine. Taking leave from the presidents of Kenya, Somalia and Seychelles has to be virtual. But this is only minor in the face of the enormous impact COVID-19 has on the world in general and Kenya in particular. On leaving I am expressing the wish that Kenya will be spared from debilitating infection rates and that life can go soonest back to normal, even if it is a new normal. The Netherlands Embassy stands ready to continue its private sector programmes to deal with the crisis after the crisis to get Kenya back on its economic feet. There is so much work that still needs to be done. I therefore wish my successor, Ambassador designate Maarten Brouwer, all the best in his new assignment. I am confident that Kenya will be as welcoming to him as it was to me.

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Interview Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Kenya, Somalia and the Seychelles, H.E. Frans Makken - The Netherlands and You

21 July 2020 | Religion

President Danny Faure welcomed a delegation from the Seychelles Bible Society of Seychelles at State House this afternoon.

Led by the Vice-Chairperson of the Seychelles Bible Society, Pastor Abel Ntep Ntep, during the meeting the members present shared with the President some of the key accomplishments of the society over the past 5 years, current projects and programmes being implemented, and plans for the future. The delegation shared an update on key ongoing projects including the 'Trauma Healing' project and the establishment of a Bible House with facilities to accommodate the operation and cater for future projects.

President Faure expressed his appreciation to the Bible society for the invaluable work they are doing in the country and reiterated his full support for the conception of the Bible house.

The delegation also presented the President with a copy of their Strategic Plan for 2018-2022.

Also present at State House for the meeting was the Executive Secretary of the Bible Society of Seychelles, Mrs Margaret Maillet, Reverend Bryan Volcere, Pastor Michael Bijoux, Pastor Eddy Payet and Ms Raymonde Onezime, a Member of the Bible Society Board.

Editor's Note:

The vision and mission of the Bible Society of Seychelles is focused on ensuring the Bible is easily available and accessible and promote the use of Holy Scriptures. They also aim to raise support through local contributions for the local and worldwide work of the Bible Society and work in partnership with all churches and church-related organisations.

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President Faure receives members of the Seychelles Bible Society - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles

20 July 2020 | Religion

President Danny Faure welcomed a delegation from the Seventh-Day Adventist Church of Seychelles at State House this afternoon.

The delegation led by Pastor Solofo Georges Jean Mesmert thanked the President for making the time to receive them at State House and conveyed the appreciation of the church for the continuous support from government and the consultative approach that exists between the church and government.

The meeting was an opportunity for the delegation to share the work of the church and some of the community-based activities currently in place dedicated as outreach for those at risk, including future plans to expand their outreach programme Light House involving rehabilitation and counselling support.

During discussions, President Faure reaffirmed governments commitment to maintaining strong relations with the Seven-Day Adventist Church and thanked them on behalf of the people of Seychelles for their work targeted at communities in need and empowering citizens.

Other members of the delegation included Pastor Norris Barra, Mr Hugh Watts, Mrs Natalie Edmond.

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President Faure receives delegation from Seventh-Day Adventist Church of Seychelles - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles