07 July 2020 | Foreign Affairs.
Hello and Bonzour from Seychelles,
It is a great honour to address you all on today’s launching of the Trust for Sustainable Living International Debate. You are our planet’s future custodians, and I am proud to see you, our youth, driving solutions for existential issues. The right of your generation to inherit a healthy planet is an important responsibility for all of us, and my address today serves as my commitment, to you, to continue advocating for climate action and sustainable development.
Seychelles has always recognised that development opportunities come with responsibility. We understood that protecting our environment whilst placing our people at the centre of development is not just the right thing to do, but the necessary thing to do.
As a champion of the oceans, we have pioneered the concept of the blue economy - a concept geared towards climate-smart sustainable development. Seychelles is committed to maintaining the proper management and sustainable development of its marine resources stretched out over a vast exclusive economic zone six times the size of the United Kingdom, while also bolstering security in that space and its surroundings. Earlier this year, we committed an area the size of Germany to marine protection, and we remain committed to protecting biodiversity and building climate resilience.
However, our achievements are not ones that we have attained alone. This year’s theme, Partner Power, resonates with our way of being and of doing. As I said at the 2019 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Summit, “Governance is the key means of implementation of the SDGs but no country stands alone. Partnerships are required, especially taking into account the inherent challenges experienced by Small Island Developing States”.
Partnerships are critical. Partnerships are what link people and countries. Partnerships are what determine the history and the future of our wellbeing and security. Partnerships, local or international, lies at the core of our development, whether we are big or small.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a clear illustration of our interdependence and of the importance of partnerships. The sudden outbreak of this pandemic has sent shockwaves disrupting not only our health systems but also the socio-economic development of our countries. As each country fights to get back to a post-COVID 19 normality and socio-economic stability, we must work together to build resilience against the pandemic and nurture a sustainable future.
This year’s TSL theme, Partner Power therefore comes at a critical time when our world is being challenged by an unprecedented global crisis, forcing us all to take a step back, regroup and consider how we can work together to overcome our challenges; and secure the protection and safety of our peoples, of our families and of our planet.
Only by working together can we find global solutions to global challenges.
I wish you all the very best and fruitful discussions. I look forward to hearing about Your Vision For a Sustainable Future!
