Press release

Seychelles launches national Report on Millennium Development Goals

October 30, 2013
StateHouse

The national status report on the Millennium Development Goals was presented in a ceremony at the ‘Palais de Justice’ where Resident United Nations Representative, Simon Springett handed over the report to Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jean Paul Adam.

The report highlights that Seychelles has met most objectives that it set as part of its eight development targets. Seychelles has been classified in the UNDP Human Development Index where it ranked in the ‘very high development’ tier. Furthermore, Seychelles has equally seen success in areas such as: free health care, free universal education, high literacy rates and high life expectancy.

Mister Adam, commented on the strains facing Small Island Developing States and how these States tend to be viewed as ancillary in the international arena. Nevertheless, the Minister stressed that Seychelles is challenging the existing status quo as it asserts itself at the forefront of the policy changes that are required to achieve sustainability.  Small Island States must view themselves as ‘trailblazers’ and not ‘bystanders’ when setting development agendas.

The Millennium Development Goals underlines the need to have a convergence with the Sustainable Development Goals. In this framework, Mr Adam stressed, “few issues encapsulate sustainability as comprehensively as the concept of the blue economy.”

Seychelles remains proud of its developmental success to date but maintains that the nation must remain proactive and build towards on these positive strides.