OGP Africa & Middle East Regional Meeting |29 March 2025
Seychelles updates IRM on second OGP National Action Plan
During the 2025 OGP Africa and Middle East Regional Meeting, the Seychelles delegation convened a side meeting with Mia Katan, representative of the Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM), to present an update on the implementation of its Second National Action Plan (NAP) under the Open Government Partnership (OGP).
The discussion focused on the way forward following the 2024 IRM recommendations, which assessed the co-creation process; and the results of the government’s midterm self-assessment conducted in December 2024. These two important inputs have informed a streamlined and more focused direction for Seychelles as it advances into the final phase of its Second NAP.
Refined Focus: Three Priority Commitments for 2025:
1. Continuation of the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) as a flagship commitment: FiTI remains at the heart of Seychelles’ efforts to promote transparency and accountability in marine governance. For 2025, the focus is on improving the accessibility of information – particularly through Creole-language reporting – and on broadening community engagement through inclusive consultations. These measures are designed to enhance public trust and strengthen policy effectiveness in the fisheries sector.
2. Transparency and Good Governance led by the Office of the Ombudsman: This commitment seeks to embed participatory decision-making processes within government structures. Drawing on international best practices, including Scotland’s Participation Framework, Seychelles is working to institutionalise the inclusion of civil society perspectives in the formulation and evaluation of public policy – laying the foundation for more accountable and responsive governance.
3. Managing alcohol consumption for a healthy and productive nation: This commitment focuses on advancing national health and productivity through informed, evidence-based public dialogue and reform. The government is engaging civil society and private sector partners to shape policy interventions across the alcohol value chain, including production, distribution and consumption, to reduce harm and promote responsible behaviour.
Strategic consolidation of commitments
Two commitments – Digital Transformation and Connecting People and the Employee Wellness and Empowerment Policy – have been removed or consolidated due to implementation challenges and limited resources. Elements of digital transformation will now be incorporated into relevant sectoral plans, while employee wellness and wellbeing have been subsumed under the Integrity and Good Governance framework, where wellness is expected to become a core condition of public sector employment.
Looking ahead: A new chapter in Open Government
The government of Seychelles remains deeply committed to fostering inclusive, transparent governance. The co-creation process for the Third National Action Plan is set to begin in April 2025 and will involve broad-based consultations with civil society, the private sector, and government agencies to collectively shape Seychelles' future open government priorities.
Leading the Seychelles delegation, Margaret Moumou, Cabinet secretary in the Office of the President, emphasised the importance of sustained collaboration among all stakeholders. She reaffirmed Seychelles’ commitment to continuous learning, institutional reform, and meaningful engagement through the OGP process.
Mia Katan praised Seychelles for its dedication to open governance, and to the OGP process.
The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to ongoing dialogue, capacity-building, and shared learning. As Seychelles prepares for its final IRM assessment, the insights gained will serve as a key foundation for measuring progress, identifying areas for improvement, and guiding future action toward a more open, accountable, and inclusive government.
Contributed