President returns from Rome meeting

Seychelles Nation - 29.09.2007

President James A. Michel returned to the country yesterday morning after attending the First Global Island Partnership Strategy Meeting on climate change in Rome, Italy, this week.

The President delivered the keynote address at the meeting and announced the launching of the Sea Level Rise Foundation to galvanize global action to address the devastating impacts of climate change on our planet.

This foundation will pool resources and expertise to support small island states, islands and low lying areas in adapting to sea-level rise.

With the launching of the foundation, Seychelles continues to take the lead in leveraging international attention and focus on the impacts of climate change on islands.

President Michel also announced in his Rome speech that Seychelles would declare Silhouette, the third largest granitic island, a new national park.  It will be effectively managed for resilience to climate change.  Seychelles will have more than 50% of its land territory under formal protection.

It was President Michel and his homologue from the Pacific island of Palau who founded and launched the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) at a small island states meeting in January 2005.

President Michel was accompanied at the Rome meeting by his special adviser for environment, Dr Rolph Payet.