Chinese generosity
Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, devoted the last leg of the tour he made in Africa in early January to the Seychelles. On this occasion, China donated $11 million to Seychelles, dont 4,6 million targeting renewable energy projects. The advisability of opening a direct airline between China and the archipelago was also raised.. Chinese tourists indeed appreciate the paradise islands : 300,000 of them stayed in the Maldives annually, close to Seychelles, before the pandemic.
The Vallée de Mai calls for help
The Vallée de Mai nature reserve, in Praslin, has lost almost all of its direct income, perceptions of visitors, since the start of the pandemic. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and managed by the Seychelles Islands Foundation, she does not receive public support, income from tourism allowing it in normal times to bear its expenses. In October 2020, she benefited from a grant of $30,000 from a fund set up to help African world heritage sites. SIF recently launched an appeal for help. Lack of monitoring means, poaching of "coco de mer" is experiencing an upsurge on the site.
Bernard Grollier
