Seychelles high commissioner hails India's role in capacity building, eyes deeper ties
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Seychelles high commissioner hails India's role in capacity building, eyes deeper ties")
Lalatiana Accouche Photograph: (WION)
Speaking during WION Podcast, High Commissioner Accouche highlighted the scale of India’s training programmes for Seychellois officials and citizens
Seychelles High Commissioner to India, Lalatiana Accouche, has warmly thanked India for its extensive support in capacity building, describing the bilateral relationship as one that is “growing, covering many areas” and poised to become “more stronger” under Seychelles’ new government. Speaking during WION Podcast, High Commissioner Accouche highlighted the scale of India’s training programmes for Seychellois officials and citizens.
“First of all, thank India for all you have done to us. Because so far as latest figures I have compiled, it’s more than 1,000, maybe it’s a small number for you, but for Seychelles, compared to the number of population, it speaks volumes for us, and it covers many fields,” she said. She noted a steady rise in participation, adding: “We have a lot of people coming to India, officers to be trained. Actually, we have 10 defense officers and police and defence in India. I still say that the number sounds small for you. It’s big for us. It’s big for us.”
The high commissioner also pointed out that when Seychellois fall seriously ill, “the first country they say, ‘Let’s go to India’. And now with IndiGo operational, it’s more easier.” Scholarships through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and other programmes have further cemented people-to-people links, she said, seizing the opportunity “to thank India in capacity building.” While praising existing cooperation, Accouche flagged gaps in connectivity and financial services. Despite a direct IndiGo flight between Mumbai and Mahé, “there are no shipping lines between the two countries, which of course negatively impacts” trade, she observed. Similarly, only one Indian bank currently operates in Seychelles, an area she believes could expand given the “close partner” status.
The envoy expressed optimism following the recent inauguration of Seychelles’ new President, Patrick Herminie, which was attended by Indian Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan. “Big honour. Way to open the door wider,” she said, adding that one of the new government’s main priorities is “to strengthen ties in [the] Indian Ocean. India is the big sister.”
Seychelles’ recent formal membership of the Colombo Security Conclave was another milestone. “Two weeks ago, our chief of defence was here… to officially have a membership. And having it, being a member, it solidifies again the areas of cooperation… to have [a] peaceful region to the actions against the illegal activities. That’s why we decided to join the Conclave. And I think it was only Seychelles left. So we joined it officially,” HC Accouche explained.
Looking ahead to the forthcoming India-Africa Summit, the first in a decade, she stressed the complementarity between the two sides: “We all know Africa is the future. Africa got all the resources… human resources, natural resources, and India, with the development going through, so complementing the two is very important… Having [a] plan of action very well clear defined during the summit will be about the trade.”
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