In preparation for the world climate conference in December 2015 in France |26 January 2015

Seychelles called upon to rally Sids for climate change deal

Seychelles has over the last five years become a global leader for ocean survival and France is lobbying on its former colony to rally Sids as its leaves nothing to chance to have its name in one of the most environmentally comprehensive agreements of all time.

France President Francois Hollande has been pressing countries like Seychelles to make sure that the Paris climate change talks will not end in a deadlock as has been the case over the years.

In their latest article entitled ‘France lobbies Seychelles to win Sids in its quest for a climate change deal’ Malik Hossain and Wanjohi Kabukuru write that when President Hollande held a key meeting with Seychelles President James Michel in December 2014 at the Elysée Palace in Paris, to many this was just a normal routine meeting. However for those closely following climate change issues, this meeting was more than the cosy press releases released at the time when the two presidents were in Paris.

They added that only when one looks back at the status and diplomatic moves made by Seychelles in the last decade will it be possible to understand why President Hollande saw it fit to invite and host President Michel in Paris.

The importance of the two leaders’ meeting was not lost as earlier in August 2014 Presidents Hollande and Michel had met at the 4th Summit of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) Heads of States Summit held in the Comoros. IOC is a regional bloc bringing together Seychelles, Mauritius, Comoros, Madagascar and France (thanks to Reunion and Mayotte). The question was why it was necessary for Hollande to host Michel in Paris and yet they had an entire summit in Moroni, Comoros which provided ample opportunity for a meeting?

This is because in the last five years, President Michel has come out as the major voice of the fast rising coalition of the Small Island Developing States (Sids) which is a powerful conglomerate that has become a key plank in the global climate change talks.

“Adopting a hands-on diplomatic offensive, Seychelles has in the recent past taken a key lead on environmental matters in the western Indian Ocean after redefining its geo-strategic positioning through the ‘Blue Economy’ diplomatic case-file. Today the ‘Blue Economy’ is a key discussion point of the UN and the African Union and has catapulted Seychelles to the centre of the global community of nations,” write Hossain and Kabukuru.

They note that the ‘Blue Economy’ ideals championed by Victoria have heavily boosted President Michel’s international image and credentials thrusting him as the representation of the influential Alliance of Small Island States (Aosis). This facet was obvious when the United Nations’ third International Conference of Small Island States was held in September 2014 in Apia, Samoa.

Secondly, according to them, in the last two years Victoria has reached out to its island and coastal western Indian Ocean neighbours under its Western Indian Ocean Coastal Challenge (WIOCC) which among other things calls for cleaner and safer oceans not to mention being a negotiating umbrella in maritime trade talks and environmental round tables. Renewable energy, coastal protection, marine conservation, general oceans health, coastal mangroves forests protection and communities’ involvement are the key hallmarks of WIOCC.

“For Seychelles the achievement of these two feats which have pronounced this Indian Ocean island nation as a global leader may be more about ocean survival.
 But to France they are an indication of a recalibrated world and soft power emanating from the most unlikely of nations,” noted Hossain and Kabukuru.

Previously, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya were the major environmental voices in the western Indian Ocean rim. Not anymore. South Africa’s position which was allied to Brics in the 2009 Copenhagen talks saw its influence within Africa and the western Indian Ocean in particular dwindle. Tanzania and Kenya on the other hand have steadily lost global environmental clout as their respective environmental ministers are considered dull and colourless. For Kenya the passing of Nobel peace prize laureate and environmental icon Professor Wangari Maathai and decorated environment minister John Michuki has seen this eastern African nation that hosts the global headquarters of UNEP losing both stature and influence globally. So far both Kenya and Tanzania are scurrying to find their magical spell with little success. Apparently these three nations are unaware that they have lost out on the importance of global influence as far as environmental matters are concerned.

Interestingly the same cannot be said of Seychelles. While for other western Indian Ocean nations their environmental persuasions have always been leaning towards the charisma of individuals for Seychelles it is obviously a government strategy. Looking at what this strategy has achieved in less than five years is enough to warrant international attention. The hosting of the ‘Blue Economy’ summit in Abu Dhabi in January 2014 and its subsequent adoption by the African Union into Africa’s Agenda 2063 of the same month are what have made France to lobby Seychelles on its side.

“It is these influential positions enjoyed by Seychelles that France is seeking to tap into in its bid to turn the tables into its side come December 2015.
 All indications so far are that a climate change deal must be signed in Paris and President Hollande is seeking the influence and persuasion enjoyed by President Michel among his Sids peers to rally them for a favourable climate deal. Indications of the key discussions between Presidents Hollande and Michel came out prominently after the two leaders’ meeting when Mr Michel was interviewed by France24. The key interview highlights were President Michel’s pet subjects: climate change and the blue economy. These were quite telling when one considers the global climate change meeting later in the year and the influence that President Michel can marshal among Sids and coastal countries alike,” noted Hossain and Kabukuru.

They add that Seychelles newly found international profile and presence should be an eye-opener to the other western and southern Indian Ocean rim nations.
It is also a lesson for Africa in general. A well thought out and finely executed strategy always bears results and wins friends any day. In as much as Africa’s Agenda2063 embraces oceans the reality is there is little action on Africa’s oceans. The global environmental frontier is changing and mainland Africa must embrace the strategy adopted by its Sids counterparts, who are currently riding high on the crest of the wave of change. France’s courting of the Seychelles is courtesy of the recognition of the changed global paradigm and the sway commanded by President Michel and his Indian Ocean archipelago.