AGP Executive Report

Renewables & Energy: Seychelles and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) reaffirmed cooperation to boost solar PV and renewable energy adoption, with talks on renewable priorities during the ISA Africa regional committee meeting. Tourism Strategy: Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) held its annual marketing meeting at Eden Bleu, reporting July–August recovery momentum and pushing market diversification for 2027 after Middle East disruptions. Digital Trade & Payments: AfCFTA Secretariat and Quest Ghana signed an agreement to set up the AfCFTA Digital Trade Corridor, with Seychelles set to host the joint venture headquarters in Victoria and support interoperable payment and commodities exchange infrastructure. Industry & Enterprise Diplomacy: Chinese Ambassador Lin Nan met Seychelles’ Industry and Enterprise minister to deepen China–Seychelles investment cooperation, while another meeting with the Tourism and Culture minister focused on cultural heritage, archives, fashion exchange, tourism promotion and skills training. Local Governance & Tax: Cabinet approved VAT amendments extending an exemption for certain construction services tied to VAT-exempt goods imported in disassembled form. Maritime Skills: Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute is scaling up training, including ship design and shipbuilding courses, to match growing blue economy investment. Food Safety (Regional): Taiwan rejected two US frozen beef tongue shipments after parasite detection, ordering returns or destruction and tightening future inspections.

Renewables & Energy: Seychelles met the International Solar Alliance to push solar PV adoption and deepen renewable energy cooperation, as the country maps priorities for its energy transition. Tourism Strategy: The Seychelles Tourism Board held its annual marketing meeting, citing a July–August rebound (with Russia leading) and a 2027 shift from planning to implementation after Middle East disruptions. VAT & Construction: Cabinet approved VAT amendments to extend an exemption for construction services tied to assembling and installing VAT-exempt imported goods in disassembled form. Digital Trade & Payments: AfCFTA and Quest Ghana signed a deal for a US$5.17bn AfCFTA Digital Trade Corridor, with Seychelles set to host the joint venture headquarters in Victoria. Maritime & Security: A Kenya Navy operation seized over a metric ton of methamphetamine from an unregistered vessel, highlighting growing illicit trade risks along Indian Ocean shipping lanes. Industry Finance/Trade: Seychelles’ Cabinet also backed VAT changes while broader regional deals point to faster cross-border commerce via digital infrastructure.

Renewables & Energy: Seychelles says it will deepen cooperation with the International Solar Alliance (ISA) to boost solar PV adoption, following talks between the Environment, Climate, Energy & Natural Resources Minister Marie-May Jeremie and ISA DG Ashish Khanna on the sidelines of the ISA Regional Committee for Africa meeting. Tax & Construction: Cabinet approved VAT amendments extending an exemption for construction services tied directly to assembling and installing VAT-exempt goods imported in disassembled form. Tourism Strategy: The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) held its annual marketing meeting at Eden Bleu, reviewing 2026 performance and pushing market diversification to strengthen resilience after Middle East disruptions, with July-August showing momentum and Russia leading the rebound. Digital Trade & Payments: AfCFTA and Ghana’s Quest Ghana signed a deal to create a US$5.17bn AfCFTA Digital Trade Corridor, with Seychelles set to host the headquarters in Victoria and support interoperable payments and a commodities exchange. Diplomacy & Culture: China’s ambassador to Seychelles Lin Nan met Tourism and Culture Minister Amanda Bernstein to discuss deeper cooperation on heritage protection, archives, fashion exchange, tourism promotion and skills training. Aviation Safety: Ukraine urged ICAO to discourage airlines from using Russian airspace, and route data shows Russia still has scheduled nonstop links with Seychelles.

Tourism Strategy: Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) held its annual marketing meeting at Eden Bleu, reviewing 2026 performance after Middle East disruptions and mapping a more resilient 2027 push through stronger market diversification and intelligence; VAT & Construction: Cabinet approved VAT amendments extending an exemption for construction services tied to assembling and installing VAT-exempt imported goods in disassembled form; Digital Trade for Africa: AfCFTA Secretariat and Ghana’s Quest Ghana signed a deal for a US$5.17B AfCFTA Digital Trade Corridor, with Seychelles hosting the joint venture headquarters in Victoria and supporting interoperable payments plus a digital minerals/commodities exchange; Blue Economy Skills: Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute is scaling up training, including ship design and shipbuilding courses, to match rising blue economy investment; Aviation Safety Warning: Ukraine urged airlines to avoid Russian airspace after drone activity, while Russia said it can protect civilian flights—nonstop routes still link Russia with Seychelles and Tanzania; Cooling vs Climate: New research highlights air conditioning’s life-saving role but warns of rising climate impact as cooling electricity demand grows.

Seychelles Tourism: The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) held its annual marketing meeting at Eden Bleu, reviewing 2026 performance and pushing a more resilient 2027 plan after Middle East disruptions. Visitor momentum picked up in July and August, with Russia leading the rebound, while China, South Africa, Nigeria and Turkey showed positive growth. VAT & Construction: Cabinet approved VAT amendments extending a VAT exemption for certain construction services tied to assembling and installing VAT-exempt imported goods in disassembled form. Digital Trade & Payments: The AfCFTA Secretariat signed with Ghana’s Quest Ghana to set up the AfCFTA Digital Trade Corridor, hosted in Victoria, to cut the cost and friction of intra-African trade using a digital marketplace, interoperable payments and a minerals/commodities exchange. Blue Economy Skills: Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute is scaling up training, including ship design and shipbuilding courses, to match growing blue economy investment. Energy Transition Push: Nigeria stakeholders called for a multi-stakeholder decarbonisation hub to speed up a low-carbon, resilient economy.

Seychelles Tourism Strategy: Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) held its annual marketing meeting at Eden Bleu, reviewing 2026 performance and setting a 2027 shift from strategy-building to implementation after Middle East disruptions; visitor momentum picked up in July and August, with Russia leading the rebound and emerging markets like China, South Africa, Nigeria and Turkey showing growth. VAT & Construction Policy: Cabinet approved VAT amendments extending an exemption for construction services tied directly to assembling and installing VAT-exempt goods imported in disassembled form. AfCFTA Digital Trade Corridor: AfCFTA Secretariat and Quest Ghana signed a US$5.17B digital trade corridor deal to cut cross-border transaction costs, with Seychelles set to host the joint venture headquarters in Victoria and provide sovereign support. Aviation Safety Warning: Ukraine urged ICAO to discourage airlines from using Russian airspace, while scheduled nonstop routes still link Russia with Seychelles and other African states. Cooling, Health & Climate: New research highlights air conditioning’s life-saving role but warns of rising climate impact as global cooling demand surges. China–Seychelles Tourism Links: Chinese Ambassador Lin Nan met Seychelles’ Tourism and Culture Minister Amanda Bernstein to deepen cooperation across cultural heritage, archives, fashion exchange, tourism promotion and skills training.

VAT & Agriculture Support: Cabinet approved VAT amendments to extend exemptions for certain farming, fishing and related construction services tied to VAT-exempt imported goods. Tourism Strategy: Seychelles Tourism Board held its annual marketing meeting at Eden Bleu, flagging recovery momentum after a tough first half and outlining a 2027 shift from planning to implementation, with Russia leading the rebound and growth also seen in China, South Africa, Nigeria and Turkey. Digital Trade for Seychelles: AfCFTA and Quest Ghana signed a deal for a US$5.17B AfCFTA Digital Trade Corridor, with Seychelles set to host the joint venture headquarters in Victoria and build payment and commodities exchange infrastructure to cut cross-border trade costs. Blue Economy Skills: Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute is scaling up training, adding ship design and shipbuilding courses as blue economy investment grows. Cooling vs Climate Cost: New research highlights that air conditioning saves lives but also drives emissions as global cooling demand surges. Aviation Safety Warning: Ukraine urged airlines to avoid Russian airspace after drone activity, while Russia rejected the claim; FlightConnections lists nonstop Russia–Seychelles routes. Tourism Culture Links: Chinese Ambassador Lin Nan met Seychelles’ Tourism and Culture Minister Amanda Bernstein to deepen cooperation on heritage protection, archives, fashion exchange and tourism promotion. Industry & Finance Signals: Global bond yields are rising sharply, adding pressure to governments and markets worldwide.

Seychelles Tourism Recovery: The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) held its annual Marketing Meeting at Eden Bleu, reviewing 2026 performance and mapping a 2027 shift from strategy-setting to execution, after a tough first half hit by Middle East disruptions; visitor arrivals picked up in July and August, with Russia leading the rebound and growth also coming from China, South Africa, Nigeria and Turkey. Digital Trade for Seychelles: The AfCFTA Secretariat and Ghana’s Quest Ghana signed an agreement to set up the AfCFTA Digital Trade Corridor, hosted in Victoria, with sovereign support from Seychelles; the plan includes a digital marketplace, interoperable payments and an African minerals/commodities exchange, starting with a pilot across 5–8 countries. Tourism & Culture Diplomacy: Chinese Ambassador Lin Nan met Seychelles’ Tourism and Culture Minister Amanda Bernstein to deepen cooperation on cultural heritage protection, archives management, fashion exchanges, tourism promotion and skills training. Maritime & Fisheries Cooperation: A Seychelles delegation led by Wallace Cosgrow visited India’s CMFRI in Kochi to discuss sustainable fisheries management and mariculture, including stock assessment, seaweed processing, ornamental fish breeding and marine bioprospecting. Aviation Risk Watch: Ukraine urged airlines to avoid Russian airspace, and route data shows Russia still has nonstop links with Seychelles and Tanzania—an important reminder for travel and logistics planning. Blue Economy Skills Push (Region): Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute is scaling up training, adding ship design and shipbuilding courses as blue economy investment grows. Energy Cost Pressure (Region): Diesel prices vary sharply across Africa, with Seychelles listed among the higher-cost markets—fuel costs that can ripple into freight, construction and food prices.

AfCFTA Digital Trade Corridor: The AfCFTA Secretariat and Ghana’s Quest Ghana signed a US$5.17B digital trade corridor deal, with Seychelles set to host the joint venture headquarters in Victoria and provide sovereign support—aimed at cutting the high cost of intra-African payments and cross-border trade complexity. Blue Economy & Fisheries Cooperation: A Seychelles delegation led by Wallace Cosgrow visited India’s ICAR-CMFRI in Kochi to discuss marine fisheries research, sustainable fisheries management and mariculture, including stock assessment, seaweed processing and marine bioprospecting. Tourism & Culture Diplomacy: China’s Ambassador to Seychelles Lin Nan met Tourism and Culture Minister Amanda Bernstein to deepen cooperation across cultural heritage protection, archives, fashion exchange, tourism promotion and skills training. Aviation Safety Warning: Ukraine urged airlines to avoid Russian airspace after drone activity, while FlightConnections data shows Russia still has 46 nonstop route pairs linking it with Seychelles and other African states. Energy Transition Push (Nigeria): Stakeholders called for a multi-stakeholder decarbonisation hub in Nigeria to speed the low-carbon transition, including through blue economy collaboration. Cooling vs Climate Cost: New research highlights how air conditioning saves lives but also drives emissions as global cooling demand surges. Diesel Prices Pressure: A fuel-price roundup ranks Seychelles among Africa’s higher-cost diesel markets, underlining knock-on effects for freight, construction and food costs.

Digital Trade for Seychelles: The AfCFTA Secretariat and Ghana’s Quest Ghana signed a US$5.17B AfCFTA Digital Trade Corridor deal, with Seychelles set to host the joint venture HQ in Victoria and provide sovereign support—aimed at cutting the high cost of intra-African payments and cross-border trade. Blue Economy Research Link: A Seychelles delegation led by Wallace Cosgrow visited India’s ICAR-CMFRI in Kochi to explore fisheries research, sustainable fisheries management and mariculture, building on an MoU for cooperation in agriculture and fisheries. Tourism & Culture Cooperation: Chinese Ambassador Lin Nan met Seychelles Tourism and Culture Minister Amanda Bernstein to deepen ties on cultural heritage protection, archives, fashion exchange, tourism promotion and skills training. Maritime Security: Kenya Navy seized over a metric ton of methamphetamine from an unregistered vessel, highlighting how small, unmarked boats fuel drug trafficking and IUU fishing across Indian Ocean shipping lanes. Fuel Cost Pressure: Diesel prices across Africa vary sharply, with Seychelles listed among the higher-cost markets—an issue that can quickly feed into freight and food costs. Climate & Cooling Debate: New research reiterates that air conditioning saves lives, but also raises emissions—putting pressure on cooling solutions that protect health without worsening global warming.

Seychelles-India Blue Economy: A Seychelles delegation led by fisheries and blue economy minister Wallace Cosgrow visited India’s ICAR-CMFRI in Kochi to deepen cooperation on sustainable fisheries, mariculture, seaweed processing, tuna research and marine bioprospecting, building on an MoU for agriculture and fisheries ties. Tourism & Culture Diplomacy: Chinese Ambassador Lin Nan met Seychelles’ Tourism and Culture Minister Amanda Bernstein to discuss deeper cooperation in cultural heritage protection, archives management, fashion exchange, tourism promotion and skills training. AfCFTA Digital Trade Corridor: AfCFTA and Ghana’s Quest Ghana signed a US$5.17B digital trade corridor deal, with Seychelles set to host the joint venture headquarters in Victoria and support interoperable payments plus a minerals and commodities exchange. Parliamentary Links: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla held talks with Seychelles National Assembly Speaker Azarel Ernesta in Delhi, highlighting shared democratic values and support for yoga promotion. Maritime Security & Shipping: Reports highlight how small unregistered vessels enable sea crimes, including a major methamphetamine seizure linked to Indian Ocean trafficking routes. Energy Costs for Industry: Diesel price rankings show Seychelles among the higher-cost markets in Africa, a pressure point for freight, construction and farming operations. Climate & Cooling Trade-off: New research reiterates that air conditioning saves lives but worsens warming, raising the stakes for cooling solutions in hot climates.

Maritime & Blue Economy: Seychelles is pushing deeper fisheries and aquaculture cooperation with India, with a Seychelles delegation visiting ICAR–CMFRI in Kochi to explore stock assessment, mariculture and tuna research, while a separate New Delhi meeting agreed to strengthen sustainable marine resource management and technical capacity building. Digital Trade & Payments: AfCFTA and QUEST Ghana signed an agreement to set up and run an AfCFTA Digital Trade Corridor hosted in Seychelles, aiming to support cross-border transactions, payment systems and a minerals/commodities exchange. Tourism & Luxury Travel: Seabourn opened bookings for a 138-day 2029 world cruise on Seabourn Quest, featuring rare access to remote islands and multiple UNESCO sites, including Praslin and other Indian Ocean-linked stops. Industry & Finance Signals: FP Markets flagged rising global government bond yields as a broader risk repricing, while Seychelles-linked fintech news includes XT Exchange listing HKB1 for consumer payments and cross-border settlement use cases. Governance & Diplomacy: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla held a bilateral dialogue with Seychelles’ National Assembly Speaker Azarel Ernesta, highlighting shared democratic values and renewed focus on Yoga ties. Energy Costs: Diesel price rankings show Seychelles among the higher-cost African markets, underscoring pressure on freight, construction and food logistics. Climate & Health: New research reiterates that air conditioning saves lives but worsens warming, as cooling demand grows worldwide.

Fisheries & Blue Economy: Seychelles is stepping up cooperation with India on sustainable fisheries, aquaculture and blue-economy growth, with talks in New Delhi covering stock assessment, mariculture, tuna processing, post-harvest tech, conservation and even digital monitoring and AI for harvest management. Climate & Cooling Costs: New research highlights the lifesaving role of air conditioning, while warning its rising global use could worsen warming and strain power grids as cooling electricity demand surges. Maritime Security & IUU Risks: A Kenya Navy interception of an unregistered fishing vessel seized more than a metric ton of methamphetamine, underscoring how small, unmarked boats are increasingly tied to drug trafficking and IUU fishing along Indian Ocean shipping lanes. Fuel Prices Hit Industry: Diesel prices across Africa remain volatile, with Seychelles listed among the higher-cost markets, a pressure point for freight, construction, farming and fisheries operations. Tourism Value Debate: Seychelles Ambassador Alain St.Ange urged the tourism industry to measure success by real community value—not just visitor numbers—linking local ownership, culture and economic impact. Crypto & Trading Expansion: XT Exchange listed HKB1 for consumer payments and cross-border settlement, while Zoomex expanded its 50+ equity stock perpetuals lineup and ran a SEA-focused “Trade the Tide” event.

Seychelles–India Blue Economy Push: Seychelles’ fisheries, agriculture and blue economy minister Wallace Cosgrow led an ICAR–CMFRI visit in Kochi to explore stock assessment, mariculture, seaweed processing, tuna fisheries and marine bioprospecting, building on MoUs for research and sustainable management. Maritime Cooperation: A separate high-level Seychelles–India meeting in New Delhi focused on fisheries, aquaculture and the blue economy, including tuna processing, post-harvest tech, monitoring and surveillance, and using digital tools and AI for harvest management. Blue Bonds Mentioned in Regional Finance Talk: Tamil Nadu industry groups urged a shift from higher taxes to expanding the taxable base, pointing to Seychelles’ Blue Bonds as a model for coastal development finance. Indian Ocean Under Pressure: Experts warn the Indian Ocean is at a tipping point, with marine heatwaves and El Niño conditions threatening reefs, fisheries and coastal safety. Fuel Costs Hit Industry: Diesel price rankings show Seychelles among the higher-cost markets in Africa, underlining how transport fuel costs can ripple into food and business expenses. Climate + Cooling Debate: New research reiterates that air conditioning saves lives but can worsen warming unless power systems clean up.

Seychelles-India Blue Economy: An eight-member Seychelles delegation led by fisheries minister Wallace Cosgrow visited India’s ICAR-CMFRI in Kochi to map cooperation on marine fisheries research, sustainable fisheries management and mariculture, including stock assessment, climate impacts, seaweed processing and tuna fisheries. Fisheries MoU Talks: The same bilateral push was reinforced in New Delhi, where Seychelles and India agreed to deepen work on fisheries, aquaculture and the blue economy, with focus on hatcheries, post-harvest tech, monitoring and surveillance, and even AI for harvest management. Fuel Cost Pressure: New data on August diesel prices shows Seychelles among the higher-cost markets in Africa at $1.928 per litre, highlighting how fuel costs can ripple into freight, construction and food prices. Tourism Value Debate: Seychelles Ambassador Alain St.Ange urged the industry to measure tourism by real community value, not just arrivals—arguing tourism either strengthens or erodes host societies. Cooling vs Climate Trade-off: A new study reiterates that air conditioning saves lives, but its emissions footprint is set to grow as cooling demand rises worldwide.

Fisheries & Blue Economy: Seychelles and India have agreed to deepen cooperation in fisheries, aquaculture and the blue economy, with talks in New Delhi focusing on sustainable marine resource management, tuna fisheries, post-harvest tech, conservation, and using digital tools and AI for monitoring and harvest management. Marine Climate Watch: New reporting warns the Indian Ocean is under mounting stress, with marine heatwave conditions and an El Niño expected to intensify, raising risks for coral reefs, fish movement and coastal livelihoods. Energy Costs for Industry: A continent-wide fuel-price roundup shows Seychelles among the higher-cost diesel markets in Africa, underlining how transport fuel costs can ripple into freight, food prices and business margins. Tourism Value Over Numbers: Seychelles Ambassador Alain St.Ange urged the industry to measure tourism by real community benefits, not just arrivals, arguing tourism must strengthen local economies and culture. Tourism Growth Signals: UN-linked figures cited in regional coverage show Seychelles posting 13% growth in international arrivals, alongside calls for better air access and easier entry. Seychelles-India Research Link: A Seychelles delegation visited India’s CMFRI to explore shared fisheries research, stock assessment, mariculture and marine bioprospecting, building on an MoU with India/ICAR.