Ambassador Shamlaye accredited as Seychelles resident representative to IAEA

Ambassador Bernard Shamlaye presented his credentials as Seychelles’ Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to the Agency’s Director-General, Mr Yukiya Amano, on Thursday 19th September. The Ambassador was also in Vienna, Austria for the 57th session of the General Conference of the IAEA.
The Director-General noted the work being done in preparing the Seychelles legislation on radiation safety and security and the establishment of the related national bodies. He spoke of his commitment to strengthen technical cooperation and the Agency’s contribution to member-states’ development. He highlighted the decision taken for the renovation f the Agency’s Nuclear Applications Laboratories at Seibersdorf, Austria and appealed for member-states’ contribution for this important project.
Ambassador Shamlaye conveyed President James Michel’s congratulations to Mr Amato on his reappointment as Director General of the IAEA for a second term, a decision endorsed that week by the General Conference. He expressed the appreciation of Seychelles for the IAEA’s support and assistance in various projects in health, agriculture, energy and environment protection. The IAEA also assists Seychelles in building capacity for ensuring radiation safety and security.
The Ambassador thanked the DG for inviting Mr Ronny Jumeau, Seychelles Ambassador for Climate Change and Small Island Developing States Issues, to address the IAEA’s scientific forum held earlier in the week under the theme “The Blue Planet – Nuclear Applications for a sustainable Marine Environment”. He said that in doing so, the IAEA was giving a voice to people in the small island developing states – the ones in the frontline of the impact of climate change and ocean acidification – to send out the message that there is urgency in taking action as their very livelihoods and way of life are being affected. Ambassador Shamlaye echoed Ambassador Jumeau’s call for support in building capacity in the sciences and integrating scientists from developing states in the research being done. He also requested the DG’s support for more ocean monitoring and research to be done in African and small island developing states.
Mr Karl Pisec, the Seychelles Honorary Consul in Vienna, accompanied Ambassador Shamlaye for the accreditation ceremony and for the consultation meeting with the IAEA secretariat on IAEA-Seychelles technical cooperation.
The Ambassador also attended part of the 24th meeting of African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA).
While in Vienna, he took the opportunity to meet with officials at the headquarters of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).