It may be a small country with a population of just under one million but Seychelles reckons it can punch above its weight in the international arena by leading the way in what is called the “blue economy”.
The notion, apt for an island nation, refers to balancing marine conservation and economic development. For Seychelles, it involves using innovative ways to use sustainable policies to restructure debt and launching the world’s first “blue bonds” to raise funds to develop ecologically sound fisheries.
The effort is being spearheaded by former Seychelles president James Michel, who was in Singapore in November last year to give a talk on maritime governance at the Institute of South Asian Studies.