President Wavel Ramkalawan received the CEO and President of the Thai Union Group PCL Mr. Thiraphong Chansiri for a courtesy call at State House this afternoon. He was accompanied by the Designated Minister who is also the Minister for Fisheries and the Blue Economy, Mr Jean-Francois Ferrari and the Indian Ocean Tuna Limited (IOT) General Manager, Mr Ricardo Luzio.

The President welcomed Mr Chansiri to Seychelles and highlighted how critical the role the IOT plays to the country’s economy and how grateful to the country is strong partnership that exist between government and the IOT.  

“We look forward to exploring new avenues in which we can further expand our cooperation. I take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the trust and your continuous investment in this industry in Seychelles. At the height of the COVID-19  pandemic in  2020 the fisheries industry overtook our tourism sector and really supported the country. We appreciate the support and look forward to strengthening this partnership" said President Ramkalawan.

During the meeting, Mr Chansiri briefed the President of Thai Union’s plans for the future investments as well as their intentions to enhance collaboration with government not only for the advancement of the IOT but also for the benefit of the people and the country in general.

The Indian Ocean Tuna Ltd (IOT) is the main manufacturer and exporter of canned tuna in Seychelles. It processes tuna caught in the Indian Ocean used by some of the most leading seafood brands including John West, Petit Navire and Mareblu.. Processed fish is currently the main export of Seychelles and is the country's second-largest industry behind tourism.