The First Ministerial Conference on Drug Trafficking and Substance Abuse was held from 24th April to 25th April 2024 which consisted of a Senior Officials meeting subsequently followed by the Ministerial meeting.

Seychelles was represented by a delegation consisting of Minister Charles Fonseka, the Minister for Internal Affairs, Minister Peggy Vidot, the Minister for Health and Minister Patricia Francourt, the Minister for Employment and Social Affairs, and other senior officials.

The conference was organized with the aim of “providing a platform for high level policy dialogue to forge collective action for improving the Wester Indian Oceans (WIO) capabilities to deal with the demand and supply side challenges related to illicit drug trafficking”.

The main discussions of the conference where on the adoption of a Regional Strategy Against Drug Trafficking and Substance Abuse, the setting up of a network of leading national agencies coordinating drug response and the establishment of a Regional Drug Observatory.

The strategy has two main goals: reducing drug demand and curbing drug supply in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region.

1. Reducing Drug Demand: This involves enhancing the capabilities of WIO states in drug prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. It focuses on two pillars:

• Pillar 1: Improving prevention through citizen education and stakeholder training.
• Pillar 2: Enhancing health and social services by developing better treatment and rehabilitation options.

2. Curbing Drug Supply: This goal involves strengthening regional and international cooperation to disrupt drug supply chains. It also has two pillars:

• Pillar 3: Disrupting drug supply chains by tracking traffickers and their networks, monitoring financial flows, and fostering cooperation among WIO countries.
• Pillar 4: Expanding partnerships and establishing a network of national drug agencies supported by a regional observatory.

Overall, the strategy aims to address the challenges of drug trafficking and substance abuse in the WIO region, promoting security, stability, and well-being

During his intervention, Minister Fonseka outlined the various threats interconnected with illegal drug trafficking which Seychelles is facing such as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and the need to address these issues. He also emphasized on the urgent need of burden sharing within the regional member states.

In her intervention, Minister Vidot ensured that as Seychelles develops its new Strategy Against Substance abuse, it would ensure that its own strategy aligns with the Regional Strategy which is being developed. She also outlined the various initiatives which were being undertaken at national level and that collaboration between ministries have been giving clear result. It was also noted that Seychelles would continue to strengthen evidence-based programmes and work with regional partners to increase results in this area.

In Minster Francourt’s intervention, she outlined the various efforts which Seychelles have been undertaking in the fight against illegal narcotics and that Seychelles has been one of the countries that have been at the forefront of this fight regionally. Seychelles contribution to regional architectures was emphasized and on this basis. Minister Francourt informed the conference of Seychelles willingness to host the Regional Drugs Observatory which was expected to be set up as per the Regional Strategy Against Drug Trafficking and Substance Abuse.

During the conference, the commitment of the international community towards helping the region in combatting this serious threat and issue was reiterated by the various representatives of non-regional states and international organisations. Through the collaborative efforts outlined in this strategy, stakeholders aim to address the multifaceted challenges posed by drug trafficking and substance abuse in the WIO region, promoting greater security, stability, and well-being for its’ inhabitants.

The Minister of Internal Affairs Mr. Charles Fonseka warmly welcomed the newly accredited Ambassador Designate of the Republic of Korea to The Republic of Seychelles His Excellency Mr. Kang Jung in a courtesy call to the Minister this morning. Discussions focused on further enhancing collaboration between the two nations through law enforcement capacity building.

Minister Fonseka explained that, “we always place great importance on developing human resources of our law enforcement and consider the collaboration between our two nations of great significance in honouring our commitment in enhancing law enforcement capabilities.” The Minister also spoke on the possibility of exploring ways to increase engagement in maritime security in the region. This will be through capacity-building initiatives but also by sharing knowledge, skills and best practices in maritime security. This would further strengthen capabilities and address challenges in the maritime domain.

The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Commissioner of the Seychelles Police Mr. Francis Songoire, Director of the National Information Sharing & Coordination Centre (NISCC) Captain Gerald Wong-Pool, Executive Director of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Mrs. Mastura Shah-Faure, Ms. Heejeong Heo, First Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Soochan Jee, Defence Attaché, Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Conrad Benoiton, Honorary Consul for the Republic of Korea in Seychelles and Mr. James Carpin, Third Secretary and Desk Officer for the Republic of Korea, Bilateral Affairs Division, Foreign Affairs Department.

The Minister of Internal Affairs Charles Fonseka convened a significant session with a distinguished delegation hailing from the Barbados Immigration Department. Ms. Denise Bullock, a prominent figure within the Barbados Immigration Department, led the delegation, accompanied by Ms. Sherry Best, equally distinguished in her role, along with the esteemed presence of Mr. Neville Wint from the Joint Regional Communications Center.

Discussions were anchored around the Seychelles Electronic Border System (SEBS), tracing its’ remarkable journey from a health tool to a border management system. Deliberations were multifaceted, delving into innovative strategies aimed at enhancing security measures and optimizing the immigration procedures. This meeting served as an opportunity for the exchange of operational insights, fostering a spirit of mutual advancement and collaborative synergy.

Minister Fonseka elaborated the pivotal role SEBS plays in law enforcement, clarifying its’ role in promptly identifying persons of interests and hindering criminal activities right at the border's edge. In turn, the Barbadian delegation praised Seychelles for its commendable utilization of technology in border control, particularly noting the seamless processing of passengers through immigration and customs—a testament to Seychelles' commitment to excellence in frontier management.

The Minister of Internal Affairs Mr. Charles Fonseka and the Minister on Land Use & Housing Mr. Billy Rangasamy laid the first bricks to the Bon Espoire High Security Prison on Friday. The Commissioner of the Seychelles Prison Service Mr. Raymond St. Ange highlighted the necessity of better housing for high risk inmates and improved management of offenders which this new prison will address.

During the ceremony the Minister explained the need for appropriate systems in place to help prisoners rehabilitate and undergo positive transformation stating that, “the good deeds by inmates who act responsibly, and positively giving back to community under Project Phoenix will continue and where possible improved upon. Community service activities will increase.”

The first phase of this prison will include administrative block and can accommodate up to 40 inmates.

Present during the ceremony was the Commissioner of the Seychelles Police Mr. Ted Barbe, Attorney General Mr. Frank Ally, Chief Executive Officer of Seychelles Infrastructure Agency (SIA) Mr. Jitesh Shah amongst other distinguished guests.

The Minister of Internal Affairs received Chinese Ambassador Her Excellency Lin Nan and the Commanders of ETG 118, People’s Liberation Army Navy of People’s Republic of China Senior Captain Ding Wanguo, Senior Captain Han Xuefeng, Captain Liang Dong and Lieutenant Commander Zhang Jianwei. 

The discussions focused on Maritime security as the Minister expressed the will of the government to enhance the collaboration between Seychelles and the Peoples Republic of China to assist in mitigating disasters at sea such as oil spills and illegal activities.

The Minister explained how Seychelles recognizes the significant role that China plays in the dynamics of the Indian Ocean, and that Seychelles is committed to enhancing bilateral cooperation. Seychelles seeks to strengthen our joint capabilities in addressing key maritime challenges such as piracy, illegal fishing, and emergency response situations. By combining China's considerable resources and technical prowess with Seychelles' strategic geographical positioning and local expertise. The Minister also stated that, “together, we remain unwavering in our commitment to ensuring that our collaborative endeavors substantially benefit the peace and prosperity of the region. Through the alignment of our strategic approaches, we are poised to effectively tackle shared challenges, thereby fostering a stable and secure maritime environment”.

The meeting was also attended by the Director of the National Information Sharing & Coordination Centre (NISCC) Captain Gerald Wong-Pool.

The Minister of Internal Affairs welcomed the Chargé d’Affaires of Japan to Seychelles H.E Eiji Kato in a farewell courtesy call today. During the meeting the Minister expressed his gratitude towards Ambassador Kato and wished him the very best of luck in his future endeavours. Discussions  focused on various subjects in enhancing the diplomatic relations between the two nations. The Minister ended the meeting by presenting a farewell gift to Ambassador Kato.

Ambassador Kato was accompanied by Counsellor Ono Tomoyuki, present in the meeting was also the Executive Director of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Mrs. Mastura Shah-Faure and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) representative Ms. Leila Le Hane.