National Assembly’s IAC voices concerns over EU fisheries accord |24 January 2020

The International Affairs Committee (IAC) of the National Assembly met yesterday to discuss the current status on the renewal of the EU fisheries agreement and the New York Convention with Seychelles.

On the renewal of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement with the European Union, the IAC has noted with concern that the current agreement has lapsed before a new one could be signed and ratified.

Despite having been kept away from the negotiating table, the IAC has resolved to renew its support to the two negotiating parties in order to have a signed and ratified agreement without further delay.

The IAC, however, rejects the position recently announced by the Minister responsible for Fisheries, Charles Bastienne, that the new agreement will come into force as soon as it is signed, even if the National Assembly would not have ratified it yet.

The IAC wishes to state in the strongest terms that this action, if indeed taken, would be illegal and would be undermining our Constitution and the rights and privileges of the National Assembly.

The IAC further requires that the draft of the new Fisheries Partnership Agreement be circulated to the Committee so as not to waste any more time.

With regard to the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, commonly known as the New York Convention, it was presented by the executive to the National Assembly on December 10, 2019. It was discussed and debated extensively and approved unanimously.

The IAC finds it regrettable that until now the accession instruments have not yet been presented to the United Nations to formalise the process. This is having a negative impact on potential inwards foreign direct investment into our country. It was therefore resolved that a letter regarding this matter be sent to the President to seek his authority to get the matter resolved at the soonest.

Contributed by the National Assembly secretariat