National promotion of Circular Economy |31 August 2022

(L to r) Ms Kanté, Mr Barbe and Mr Bezuidenhout

A structure to be finalised to govern this sector

The Blue Economy department is gearing up towards a national promotion of the Circular Economy.

Currently, a consultant from the African and Indian Ocean Developing Island States (AIODIS) in collaboration with the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) has been meeting with different stakeholders in order to finalise the structure that will govern this sector.

Recently Seychelles received a boost to develop its Circular Economy and the Blue Economy department within the Ministry of Fisheries has the mandate to develop sectors to bring harmony in how the ocean is being used in order to promote preservation, economic activities and create jobs.

“Circular Economy involves transforming, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling waste materials. In Seychelles now we are finalising the structure that will govern this development and its first phase will be to establish its framework, policy and institutional laws. Individuals interested in this sector will be guided and also have all the information required to help them in their business. Seychelles is also receiving help from international organisations and we already have partnerships with countries in the region,” explained Chrissant Barbe, principal policy analyst at the Blue Economy.

Fatime Kanté, senior economist and AIODIS focal point for Seychelles, gave more explanation on the regional development of the Circular Economy.

“The Indian Ocean Commission project is to determine Right to Repair reforms for Circular Economy promotion in the AIODIS. This project originated from the recommendations of an earlier study on intellectual property barriers to innovation in the Circular Economy that was completed in 2021. Both these studies originated under the Second South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Project (SWIOFish2) funded by the World Bank.”

Ms Kanté also shared it was recommended that Right to Repair reforms be investigated, as it offered opportunities to: reduce the demand for imports,reduce marine waste and waste to landfill, promote the diffusion of technology to better enable innovation in the Circular Economy; and support the repair economy in the AIODIS, which has the potential to contribute 1.5% to 3% of GDP.

The Blue Economy department invited the consultant from AIODIS, Coenraad Bezuidenhout, to conduct this project and continue the workshops which will be to explore the potential and possible actions for Right to Repair reform in the country.

“The project is from the IOC and it is being done across the countries in the Indian Ocean including Seychelles and its aim is to promote the Repair economy across the countries with the specific purpose to strengthen the economy. The idea is to encourage people to repair their products and import less. Some jobs will be created in the repair economy and it will create jobs for others. There are many articles that do not change on a regular basis such as washing machines and there is no reason why these items should be replaced every two to three years.

Seychelles in particular has a very high level of EU waste and if this project is done successfully, we will have a situation where there would be more innovation happening locally and we will reconfigure the way we use things/machines in our lives.

During his time in Seychelles, Mr Bezuidenhout has been able to meet with various stakeholders to promote this project.

He also praised Seychelles for some of the decisions it has already made towards preserving the economy.

Mr Barbe confirmed that during the last ten years, there are more than 100 small businesses who are already involved in the Circular Economy and they are working closely with the Ministry of Environment for the national promotion of this sector.

Text & photo by Vidya Gappy