Russian National Day celebration   Russia cannot tolerate so-called ‘rules based order’ ‒ Ambassador Kozhin |17 June 2022

Ambassador Kozhin, Minister Valentin and guests during Tuesday night’s ceremony (Photo: Contributed)

Russia cannot tolerate modern history’s double standards approach, attempts to substitute international law with so-called ‘rules based order’ and numerous attempts by some of its ‘partners’ to solve their economic problems and build up their security at the expense of Russia.

Artyom Kozhin, resident Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Seychelles, made this bold statement in his speech delivered on Tuesday at the Savoy Seychelles Resort & Spa during a ceremony to celebrate his country’s National Day on June 12.

He added that modern day Russia is a country with dynamically developing self-sufficient economy and independent foreign policy. One of the founding states of the United Nations (UN) and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia has consistently advocated for the strengthening of international relations framework and world economy based on universal norms of international law, above all on the UN Charter.

“Russia continues to contribute towards the enhancement of various multilateral bodies, both regional and global, to which it is part of, such as BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Collective Security Treaty Organisation, G20 and others. Within these structures we are working together to ensure attainment of sustainable development goals.

“An instrumental role in finding solutions to challenges faced by the world economy belongs to professional discussion platforms. Russia hosts a lot, the latest being the annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF),” said Ambassador Kozhin.

This year, Russia’s National Day coincides with the 350th anniversary of the founder of St Petersburg ‒ Emperor Peter the Great.

Peter occupies a remarkable place in the Russian history since it is him who turned Russia into a major global power. Among his numerous accomplishments are radical reforms of the government, economy and social life of the country. He is famous for founding the Russian fleet, both navy and merchant. Peter the Great was not only an outstanding political and military leader, but also a prominent diplomat, who opened Russia to the world.

Ambassador Kozhin noted that the visa free regime that exists between our two countries enables Seychellois to visit the beautiful city of St Petersburg, adding that last year, a twin city agreement was signed between the cities of Victoria and Rostov-on-Don, the stronghold of Russian agricultural sector, a vibrant cultural, research and education centre, potentially expanding multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.

He added that Seychelles has always been a favoured destination among Russian tourists, and it is no surprise that the number of visitors from Russia to Seychelles is growing exponentially, making Russia one of the primary tourist markets for Seychelles and assisting the revival of the country’s economy.

“Seychelles and Russia continue constructive and fruitful dialogue under the wise leadership of their presidents,” said Ambassador Kozhin who also thanked all Russian investors that for a long time have been steadily present in Seychelles.

In the absence of Foreign Affairs and Tourism Minister Sylvestre Radegonde, it was Education Minister Justin Valentin who on behalf of the government and people of Seychelles, conveyed to Ambassador Kozhin, to the government and people of the Russian Federation our congratulations on the National Day of the Russian Federation.

He noted that last year, Seychelles and the Russian Federation commemorated the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

“I wish to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to the Russian Federation for its contribution to the social, cultural and economic development of our nation since its independence. In 2021, despite the Covid-19 pandemic challenges, we continued our collaboration,” said Minister Valentin.

He added that of much importance to the Seychelles’ tourism industry was the resumption of direct flights from and to Moscow after a 17-year hiatus.

“The contribution of Russian visitors to our tourism industry and to our economy cannot be overlooked. In 2021 alone, 32,000 Russian tourists visited Seychelles. To date, just over 13,000 Russian visitors chose Seychelles as their holiday destination. We expect the numbers to increase with the resumption of direct flights by Aeroflot later this year,” he said.

Minister Valentin noted that there are other aspects to the cooperation programme between Seychelles and Russia. These include scholarships, short-term training courses, support during the pandemic, exchange visits, the twinning of Victoria with Rostov-on-Don, and other sectors of mutual interest and benefit.

“The cooperation ties between our two countries are also reflected in the professional and friendly working relations we have with the embassy of the Russian Federation. They allow us to exchange views frankly, openly and honestly, always in an atmosphere of mutual respect,” concluded Minister Valentin.

Gerard Govinden