UK ministers discuss expanding UK-Seychelles partnership |27 May 2022

Minister Fonseka (right) meets James Heappey MP, Minister for the Armed Forces

The Minister for Internal Affairs, Errol Fonseka, has held successful detailed discussions with three UK government ministers about expanding cooperation between Seychelles and the UK.

On a visit to London last week, Minister Fonseka enjoyed a programme of engagement with some of the UK’s most influential government ministers. This included meetings with the UK’s Minister for Africa, Vicky Ford MP; Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey MP; and Minister for Crime and Policing, Kit Malthouse MP.

Minister Fonseka also met with senior officials from UK law enforcement and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.

The three separate ministerial meetings covered a range of topics related to Seychelles’ and the UK’s shared values of democracy and good governance, including Seychelles’ historic first democratic transition of power, which was described as a credit to the country’s two main political parties.

The UK government ministers were especially interested in the role that expanded British support is having for Seychelles’ ongoing work on the investigation of serious crime and police reform.

The UK has been working with local experts in Seychelles to provide world-leading technical support on policing and anti-corruption for a number of years, support which surged following a request for assistance from Seychelles in early 2019. This has included support to develop the capacity and expertise of the Anti-Corruption Commission, with the potential to help it return criminal assets to the people of Seychelles. On police reform, the request for UK support reflects the ambition set out by the President to develop a more responsive community-focussed police service. A team of senior specialists has been supporting Commissioner Ted Barbe’s Strategic Review of Policing.

British High Commissioner, Patrick Lynch, who was present at the ministerial meetings, said: “This high level ministerial engagement reflects the shared history and values of the UK and Seychelles and our surge in bilateral cooperation. Our expanded support for policing reform and the investigation of serious crime will continue. Minister Fonseka extended the President’s best wishes and presented a clear vision for his areas of responsibility and why the continued expansion of support from the UK can make a real difference to the people of Seychelles.”

“In both the UK and Seychelles, we know that progress in policing, anti-corruption, and other serious crimes is a fundamental part of building safer communities and improving the life chances of younger generations. Reducing criminality can transform the way we live, and the return of criminal assets has the potential to build schools, hospitals and a strong public sector.”

“The specialists working for the UK government are here to partner with local experts and to do so in a way that respects and protects the independence and sovereignty of Seychelles. Across the world, including in the UK, there will always be people who are unhappy when serious crime is investigated and when the wealth of criminal elites is redistributed to the less wealthy. The good news is that the vast majority of people in the UK and Seychelles strongly agree that serious crime should be challenged and communities and people in need should benefit as a result.”

Press release from the British High Commission