The International Affairs Committee of the National Assembly (IAC), headed by the Chairperson Hon. Waven William, met with the Minister for Climate Change, Mr. Flavien Joubert, and Mr. Georges Uzice, Climate Change Negotiator. The objectives of the meeting were to evaluate the outcomes of COP 26 and the action plan that Seychelles will take through its National Determined Contribution (NDC) pledged to combat Climate Change. The meeting was held in the afternoon of Thursday 5th May 2022, at the National Assembly of Seychelles.
The meeting was necessary for the IAC to get a better sense of Seychelles’ progress on reaching net-zero as well as the challenges and obstacles the country is facing to obtain financial aid to mitigate the various impacts of Climate Change. For example, renewable energy initiatives and projects, especially for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as Seychelles. Minister Joubert and Mr. Uzice thoroughly explained and updated the Committee on the difficulties on the international front where major emitters and developed countries, based on their actions, are reluctant to collectively and fully commit to the goal of staying below 1.5 degrees Celsius as per the Paris Agreement.
Seychelles’ National Determined Contribution was focusing on its goals and a forecast of its expected deliverables and successes. Hon. Waven William as the Chairperson of the IAC confirmed its support and commitment to further advocate for SIDS and our needs, especially when attending international parliamentary fora. The IAC commends the work being done by our Seychellois negotiating team and calls upon the Climate Change unit to continuously update the Committee through the various reporting documents that they submit internationally. This will enable Members representing the various international parliamentary bodies to be on the same page and to speak in one voice even if from different governing institutions.
One concern that has been recurring on the COP agendas is getting developed countries on the Climate Financing board to simplify the access processes to the financing of projects, which the IAC felt the Paris Agreement signatories should focus on in the next COP 27, to be held in Egypt. Other members of the International Affairs Committee present in the active discussions were the Vice-Chairperson of the IAC, Hon. Wavel Woodcock, Hon. Wallace Cosgrow and Hon. Philip Monthy.
