Yearbook 2010
During the year, Seychelles became one of the leading
African countries in the fight against the Somali pirates,
which in autumn 2009 had become a growing problem for the
tourist nation. When international naval forces began to
patrol the Gulf of Aden at the Horn of Africa, the pirates
moved south and proceeded to attack ships in the Indian
Ocean, near the Seychelles. According to
COUNTRYAAH,
Seychelles has a population of 96,762 (2018). The pirates threatened the
tourist country's already strained economy. According to
President James Michel, Seychelles lost at least 4 percent
of its GDP due to piracy in 2009.
With the help of France, in the autumn of 2009, the
Seychelles began to review their legal system in order to
prosecute and imprison pirates. In February 2010,
Seychelles' parliament passed tougher laws against the
piracy attacks. At the same time, Parliament approved that
the Seychelles, with the support of the EU and the UN, built
special courts and a high-security prison with room for 40
prisoners. The Seychelles also signed a surrender agreement
with the EU to prosecute suspected pirates. Alongside Kenya,
Seychelles was the only African country to agree to
prosecute pirates. The Seychelles were also assisted by the
European naval force EUNAVFOR in monitoring their waters and
seizing pirates.
At the end of July, the first pirates were sentenced in
the Supreme Court in Seychelles capital Victoria. Eleven
Somali pirates were given ten years in prison each for
attempting to kidnap the crew of a boat from the Seychelles
Coast Guard in December 2009. Four of the convicted men were
under 18 years of age. Another 29 Somalis were waiting to be
brought to justice for piracy. This was the first time
pirates were convicted in Seychelles. In a statement,
President James Michel described the convicting judges as "a
historic milestone". In the past, suspected pirates were
often released because it was unclear where they would be
brought to justice.
During the year, the Seychelles Coast Guard, in
collaboration with EUNAVFOR, was able to rescue fishermen
and other people kidnapped by Somali pirates. In March, 27
kidnapped men were freed from a fishing vessel and in
November, the Seychelles' Coast Guard rescued seven
Seychelles fishermen who had been kidnapped the day before
by Somali pirates on their vessel north of the island of
Mahé.
The pirate attacks cost the Seychelles large sums in lost
revenue from tourism and fishing and for extra transport
costs. This was stated by Finance Minister and Vice
President Danny Faure in his budget speech in early
December. Import costs also increased as boat cargo
insurance had become more expensive. Faure estimated that
the piracy would cost the country nearly $ 17 million in
2011.
Despite the piracy attacks, Seychelles tourism increased
by 11 percent during the period January – November, compared
with the same period in 2009 when the Seychelles economy
suffered a sharp decline in the wake of the international
financial crisis. In February 2010, the country's tourism
council had begun to appoint "tourism ambassadors" as a way
to increase tourism again, which the country is so dependent
on. There were a number of hand-picked Seychelles living
abroad who, in close cooperation with the Seychelles'
missions, would act as tourism ambassadors for their home
country.
The Seychelles economy, which was in crisis in 2008 and
2009, recovered rapidly and was heading for a new boom at
the end of the year. From negative growth in 2008 and zero
growth in 2009, growth in 2010 was expected to exceed 6
percent. The rapid recovery was possible mainly due to the
increase in the tourism sector.
On November 29, Seychelles opened its first university.
The authorities hope that it will put an end to the flight
of highly educated people from the country. Previously,
those who wanted to go to university or college had to go
abroad. Most study in the UK, but many also study at
universities in Australia, New Zealand and India. It is
common for foreign students to stay abroad after studying.
The University of Seychelles is mainly funded by the
government, but a number of private companies invested in
the construction of the university and also support the
business by distributing scholarships to students. The
university would receive over 300 students in a variety of
courses, and the teaching languages are English and
French.
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