December 2022 - You are accessing an archived version of our website. This website is no longer maintained or updated. The Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform has been migrated here: https://sdgs.un.org/
December 2022 - You are accessing an archived version of our website. This website is no longer maintained or updated. The Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform has been migrated here: https://sdgs.un.org/
A resilient, responsible and prosperous nation of healthy, educated and empowered Seychellois living together in harmony with nature and engaged with the wider world. The vision of a nation celebrating its 250 years.
Seychelles remains committed to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for it changes the way we perceive development and forces us to move beyond measuring progress purely in economic terms. The country’s first voluntary national review covers all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Sustainable Development Goals in the National Strategic Planning Framework
For Seychelles, the VNR process immediately followed the launching its Vision 2033 and National Development Strategy (NDS) 2019 – 2023. Developed by means of broad public consultations the two national documents stipulates the medium to long-term pathway to sustainable development for the country based on the national priorities. It also allowed for the mapping of the SDG’s onto the six thematic pillars thus ensuring that the enabling environment which is imperative for implementation is provided for.
Leaving No one behind
The preamble of the Constitution of Seychelles, states that Seychelles will “develop a democratic system which will ensure the creation of an adequate and progressive social order guaranteeing food, clothing, shelter, education, health and a steadily rising standard of living for all Seychellois”. It is against this background that the sustainable development goals are being implemented.
Seychelles has in place an extensive social protection system, which makes provision both in the form of cash transfers and in-kind assistance. These include a universal retirement pension for citizens aged 63 years and above and statutory disability benefits (SDGs 1, 2, 3, 10) amongst others.
With an Exclusive Economic Zone of 1.4 million km² Seychelles has embraced the Blue Economy concept, which adopts an integrated approach to ocean-based sustainable development. In October 2018, Seychelles launched the World’s First Sovereign Blue Bond aimed at mobilizing resources for empowering local communities and businesses, in transitioning to sustainable fisheries and safeguarding our oceans while the blue economy is sustainably developed. (SDG 8,12,13,14).
Seychelles is currently ranked 43rd in the world human capital index and is also the only country in the African region and the Indian Ocean to have attained the Very High Development Index category in 2019. This is testimony of the continued investment in health and education and a people centred development model. The country boasts a 10 year free and compulsory education and free primary health care system (SDG 3,4).
As a small island state we remain committed towards environment sustainability and resilience (SDG 13,14). In the face of growing threats such as coastal erosion, flooding due to climate change, the Government is adopting an integrated approach by placing more emphasis on the various adaptation strategies and has recently launched its coastal management plan. The Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) is another significant commitment and Seychelles has in March 2020 legally designated 30 percent of its territorial waters as marine protected areas 10 years ahead of international targets.
Partnerships
The Sustainable Development Goals is interrelated and cannot be achieved by Government alone which is why the partnership domestically with the private sector and civil society is of utmost importance.
Global partnership equally has an important role to play with synergies across the broader global agenda such as Agenda 2063 and SAMOA pathway. Some of our greater successes have been in instances where we have joined forces.
Challenges
Being a small island states and given its geographical locations Seychelles remains highly vulnerable to external factors. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to fore the risk that a health outbreak can have on an economy like ours highly dependent on tourism and whereby we import most of what we consume. The effects of climate change have been further exacerbated with recent events of coastal erosions. Other key challenges to address are: increasing financial resources mobilization, the strengthening of the national statistical system and an ageing population which cannot be ignored. There is also a lack of awareness on SDG’s which can further impedes implementation.
Conclusion
The VNR review process has allowed us to take stock on how sustainable our policies are. What are the gaps and what can we do better. In this decade of action more than ever we recognise that there is no room for complacency and COVID-19 has further highlighted that.
As we all rebuild our economies we must build back better-‘Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Future’
| Report | Topics covered | Process |
 Seychelles - National Assessment Report of MSI+5
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Seychelles
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National report - Seychelles
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Rio+20; |
1. Diversification of the energy mix by the use and promotion of renewable energy sources in all energy uses and services in all sectors, including electricity, cooling, transport, residential, commercial and industrial. Ultimately achieving the set target of 15% energy supply from renewable energy by 2030. 2. Provide the whole population with access to a safe, secure, affordable, reliable and high quality of energy services while ensuring environmental protection 3. Increase security of energy supply 4. Promote efficient use of energy and conservation 5. Strengthen the institutional a...[more]
Seychelles has always prided itself on a clean and safe environment, particularly the marine environment. Solid Waste Management remains one of Seychelles biggest environmental challenges, particularly increasingly the issue of plastic. The government has over the years taken a gradual approach to dealing with plastic products, through the Waste Management Fund, there is an established recycling programme aimed towards PET bottles. Plastic carrier bags has increasingly become a problem, over the past years government started with a policy of restricting a certain degree of thickness allowable ...[more]
The Seychelles Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) Initiative is a process focused on planning for and management of the sustainable and long-term use and health of the Seychelles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The EEZ encompasses 1,374,000 km2 of ocean and 115 islands. The MSP Initiative is a Government-led process, with planning and facilitation managed by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and TNC Canada in partnership with Government of Seychelles UNDP GEF Programme Coordinating Unit (PCU). Funding for the MSP is being provided to Government of Seychelles and The Nature Conservancy through a number o...[more]
The partnership focuses on strengthening the capacity of the islands of the Indian Ocean member of the Indian Ocean Commission and Zanzibar Island of the United Republic of Tanzania to reduce their vulnerability, exposure and protect the population of the region against loss and damage that result from catastrophic events.
- Presentation of sensitization activities conducted from 2012 to 2014 in the indian ocean region within the ISLANDS project (IOC)- Presentation of good practices conducted in the region
Led by the Presidents of Palau and Seychelles, the Prime Minister of Grenada and the Premier of the British Virgin Islands, the Global Island Partnership promotes action to build resilient and sustainable island communities by inspiring leadership, catalyzing commitments and facilitating collaboration. It is a partnership for all islands, regardless of size or political status, to take greater action to conserve and sustainably utilize invaluable island natural resources that support people, culture and livelihoods around the world.
Rationale: The SIDS in SADC namely, Comoros Mauritius, Seychelles and Madagascar are fragile and prone to climate change variation but are endowed with ocean biodiversity which are unsustainably been exploited. Growth and sustainability of these economies can be achieved by sustainably harnessing the ocean potential through development of appropriate STI policy system and governance and local indigenous knowledge to launch and sustain emerging economy sectors and resilience building. Doing so requires a good understanding of the various STI policy system and governance and the education and tr...[more]
Cabo Verde, Comoros, Maldives, Mauritius, São Tomé & Príncipe and Seychelles may seem like they have little in common, but as small islands, they face very similar challenges. The countries − located in the Atlantic and Indian oceans − all share problems relating to the scarcity and contamination of freshwater supplies; lack of solid waste management facilities, over-exploitation and poor management of groundwater resources; increasing pressure on agricultural production; and disappearing biodiversity. Therefore, the Global Environment Facility has funded a full-sized project to...[more]
IRENA has developed the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative to support the strategic deployment of renewable energy in SIDS, to bring clarity to policy makers regarding the required steps, and to enable targeted action. As a joint effort of SIDS and development partners, this framework for action will assist in transforming SIDS energy systems through the establishment of the enabling conditions for a renewable energy-based future, by moving away from developing projects in isolation to a holistic approach that considers all relevant elements spanning from policy and market frameworks, through technol...[more]
In 2010, the Government of Seychelles made a commitment to protect 30% of its 1.37 million square kilometer Exclusive Economic Zone and Territorial Sea in marine protected areas (MPAs) more than 400,000 square kilometers. The declaration of expanding marine protection from the existing 0.04% to 30% was in part due to negotiations for a debt-for-climate-adaptation swap (see Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust SeyCCAT) and concerns about sustainable management of the marine resources in Seychelles. Identifying the new marine protected areas was initiated in 2011 by a Governm...[more]
Seychelles has pioneered the blue economy concept as a model for sustainable development and future prosperity since 2014. The model adopted focuses on economic diversification, local employment and investment opportunities, food security, and the effective protection and sustainable use of marine and coastal environments. Seychelles blue economy strategy internalizes global commitments to the SDG agenda and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and is consistent with regional blue economy strategies. Seychelles comparative advantage lies in its natural capital and the tourism and fisheri...[more]
i. Facilitate the preparation and implementation of national SCP Plans and sub-regional coordination planning frameworks for SIDS, including the promotion of lifecycle based and integrated planning methods (e.g. Coastal Tourism Development on the basis of ICZM and Carrying Capacity) into national and sectoral development planning.ii. Seek international financial assistance to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns in SIDS, including, inter alia, in the development of sustainable products and services, sustainable food systems, waste management, marine litter, sustainable publi...[more]
The partnership aims at strengthening the capacity of island nations to management of the marine and coastal resources for growth and development with due respect to the environment. The European Union is the leading technical and financial partner of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and it has supported a large number regional programs for the development of the island States members of the IOC. These programs seek to enhance the capacity of island nations for good governance of fisheries, management of the coastal zones and the management of coastal, marine and island specific biodiversi...[more]
Seychelles has joined the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) which is a global multi-stakeholder initiative that has been developed as a unique effort to complement and support other national, regional and global efforts for achieving responsible fisheries governance. Its purpose is to increase transparency and participation in fisheries governance for the benefit of a more sustainable management of marine fisheries. At the heart of the initiative is the global FiTI Standard, an agreement on what information on fisheries should be published online by public authorities in a complet...[more]
The WIOCC is a country led partnership that promotes actions for climate resilient development that achieves effective conservation of biodiversity, enhanced livelihood and economies for greater social security among coastal communities. The WIOCC mobilises the political, financial and technical commitment at national and regional levels by inspiring leadership and facilitating collaboration towards a shared, long-term vision.
