Tanzanian HC bids farewell |25 March 2015

The outgoing high commissioner (HC) of Tanzania to Seychelles, Dr Batilda S. Burian, paid a farewell call on President James Michel at State House yesterday.
Dr Burian, who represented her country to Seychelles for one and a half years, was based in Nairobi.

President James Michel thanked HC Burian for her valuable contribution to further enhance the bilateral relations between Seychelles and Tanzania.
The President also noted the strong historical links that exist between Seychelles and Tanzania.

Mr Michel wished Dr Burian success in her future diplomatic mission.
During the meeting, the President and Dr Burian reviewed various cooperation programmes that had been successful, areas where bilateral cooperation between the two countries can be consolidated and those that are still being finalised.

Dr Burian said she expressed her country’s sincere appreciation for the support she had received.

Noting that it was very hard working from another country, she said she also discussed with President Michel on the future opening of a honorary consul of Tanzania here in Seychelles.

“But without having an office here we have been able to move on in terms of our bilateral cooperation,” she said. And proof of that was the signing of a memorandum of understanding by her ministry of international aviation which has enabled Air Seychelles to fly twice a week to Dar es Salaam since December last year.

Dr Burian also said bilateral agreements between Seychelles and Tanzania will be signed soon regarding exchange of prisoners and cooperation between the Seychelles Investment Board and the Tanzania Investment Centre.

Dr Burian has also congratulated President Michel for his efforts in coming up with a new initiative of swapping the Seychelles debt with the Paris Club where the money will be put in a trust fund to be used for ocean conservation and climate change issues.

The Blue economy was among the topics of discussions and she said that with her new responsibility as Tanzania’s representative to Tokyo she will continue to advocate and bring awareness to the issue of the Blue economy for sustainability.

Also present during the farewell call on the President were the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Transport, Joel Morgan and the President’s Diplomatic Advisor, Ambassador Callixte D’Offay.
Yesterday Dr Burian also called on Vice-President Danny Faure.