New Zealand’s new HC to Seychelles accredited |11 February 2015

The new high commissioner of New Zealand to Seychelles, Shane Jones, presented his credentials to President James Michel at State House yesterday.
Mr Jones, who is based in Auckland, the capital of New Zealand, is ambassador Pacific Economic Development and high commissioner to Nauru. He also represents Mauritius, the Pacific and Seychelles.

The President congratulated and wished the high commissioner every success during his new tenure.

Apart from discussions on the potential cooperation in the field of renewable energy, President Michel also expressed his wish that the two countries have more cooperation in the field of fisheries so to be able to better establish a framework for the development of Seychelles’ maritime space.

Following the accreditation ceremony, HC Jones told the national media that he spoke to President Michel about the importance of Seychelles’ involvement at the Small Island Developing States Conference (Sids) in Samoa last year, following an official visit to New Zealand.

He said his discussion with the President centred on cooperation between New Zealand and Seychelles in the development of the Blue Economy.

“He (President Michel) reflected that New Zealand could very well have something to offer in the field of the Blue Economy. New Zealand is contributing millions of dollars to the sustainability of the tuna resource in the Pacific ocean and he reminded me that New Zealand is currently a member of the United Nations Security Council and look forward for us to be good friends to small islands developing states but more importantly switching to practical ways that I might be able to assist in the area of the Blue Economy, because after all Seychelles and its beautiful landscape is also an ocean nation,” said Mr Jones.

He further noted that there are possibilities for further collaboration between the University of Seychelles and universities in New Zealand.

“To the south of New Zealand are penguins, whales and seals in the Antarctica. So we are quite isolated as any other country in the world. But our university system is second to none and that represents an area of collaboration,” he said.

He said he has not yet met the Seychellois students studying in New Zealand but he will make himself known to them.

Also present during the accreditation visit yesterday were the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Transport Joël Morgan, principal secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Maurice Loustau- Lalanne and deputy head of mission, New Zealand, Bethany Madden.

Mr Jones also paid courtesy calls on Vice-President Danny Faure and afterwards on the Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Patrick Herminie.