Seychelles becomes sitting member of WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism Steering Committee |22 May 2025

Group photo of the Steering Committee members

Seychelles becomes sitting member of WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism Steering Committee

Seychelles officially took its seat on the Steering Committee of the World Trade Organisation's Fisheries Funding Mechanism on Monday.

As the first African World Trade Organisation (WTO) member to ratify the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies in March 2023, Seychelles joins the committee with a continued commitment to ensuring that the Fish Fund delivers the necessary targeted support for its effective implementation by developing and least developed WTO Members.

The agreement provides for rules to curb harmful subsidies and protect global fish stocks while also considering the needs of fishers in developing and least developed countries.

It shall enter into force upon acceptance of its legal instrument by two-thirds of the membership.

At the committee meeting, Seychelles was represented by Emy-Lee Lucas in her capacity as the Trade Attaché in the Permanent Mission of Seychelles to the United Nations Office and other International Organisations in Geneva and Sheriffa Morel, director general of the department of Fisheries, in attendance virtually.

In a statement, the Permanent Mission of Seychelles to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva said “Seychelles remains deeply committed to safeguarding the sustainability of our oceans and ensuring that multilateral trade rules work in harmony with marine conservation and the livelihoods that depend on it.”

“Our participation brings the voice and perspectives of small island developing states and contributes to a more inclusive process that reflects the interests of developing and least developed members. We thank the outgoing committee members for their dedication and look forward to working closely with fellow Steering Committee members and the WTO secretariat in the year ahead to deliver a meaningful impact through the Fund,” added the statement.

For its part the department of Fisheries stated that “Seychelles stands ready to share its experiences and reaffirms its commitment to making constructive contributions both as a beneficiary and as a collaborative partner in shaping the efforts of the Steering Committee. The nation is dedicated to advancing an inclusive, needs-driven, and results-focused implementation of the Fund.”

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