Designated Minister Ferrari attends India Energy Week |08 February 2023
Minister Ferrari (centre, back row) in a family photograph with guests at the inaugural ceremony of India Energy Week
• Strengthening partnership at leadership level
Seychelles’ Designated Minister and Minister for Fisheries and the Blue Economy, Jean-François Ferrari, participated in the inaugural ceremony of India Energy Week, inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on Monday.
During his visit, Minister Ferrari also met with Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs where they held fruitful discussions.
In a televised interview for DD India, Minister Ferrari noted that “India is our neighbour and is developing so fast and that’s makes us very proud. Over the past few years, Seychelles has suffered quite a bit with climate change, specially rise in sea level. We have been taking some measures to green our practices; to use less hydrocarbon. But it is very difficult and it is a transition that is very costly. We are partnering with India and other countries in the region. Already India is helping us and now I have the Minister to help us to gather data in our ocean for seismic research. India is very good at that and we hope India will support us on that. Recently I opened the petroleum research possibilities where Seychelles signed a contract with international companies. We are inviting India to also venture into that. The third area we spoke is waste to energy, again India has great experience in that and they can help us.”
Speaking about India leading the G20, Minister Ferrari shared that this is great opportunity. “It is good to see family up there in the highest level and it is good to have India talking on behalf of the island states who suffer from climate change. This offers a unique opportunity for India to contribute to the global agenda on pressing issues of international importance also.”
India has contributed towards reducing carbon emissions in Seychelles through the establishment of 1 MW Solar Power Project on Romainville Island which was e-inaugurated in April 2021.
Compiled by Vidya Gappy
Photos contributed
