Glasgow, Scotland, 01st November 2021 – The President of Seychelles, Mr Wavel Ramkalawan has called on world leaders to come together to take consideration for the vulnerability of the small islands developing states (SIDS), make bold decisions and to take urgent actions against climate change to save our planet.

President Ramkalawan made the call in his address at the Heads of State and Government high-level segment as part of the World Leaders’ Summit at the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2021, in Glasgow, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, led by the Prime Minister, His Excellency Mr. Boris Johnson.

The President underlined how Seychelles is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

“Seychelles is a victim. So are other Small Island Developing States. We suffer the effects and consequences of industrialization and climate change. We are already gasping for survival. When I hear the expression ‘rise in sea level’, I am scared because it brings home the awareness that my country’s granitic islands will lose all the economic activities happening around the coast and I also realise that the beautiful archipelago of 115 islands that we are today, may be reduced to less than 50 as coral islands disappear, including the Aldabra atoll, our gift to humanity as a world heritage site,” said President Ramkalawan.

Though COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the world, the President noted that many countries stepped up and developed vaccines but the issue of climate change has continued. For the betterment of the future generations, he asked that leaders especially the richest countries, to seize the moment now during COP26 and take decisive steps towards a better future.

“Fellow leaders, we have to act immediately. The environment partnership to save our planet must happen here in Glasgow 2021. Let COP 26 be the determining point. Let the change be a real one. Let the paradigm shift happen. May the industrialised nations understand that they cannot continue polluting without reserve, may those who exploit without thinking of tomorrow stop, may the corrupt poachers of our planet change their ways and may we realise that in this battle to save our planet, we are not in the proverbial same boat, but that we are indeed in the same boat, big, small, rich or poor. The disaster experienced by COVID-19 will be seen as but a breeze. For COVID, the world came together and developed the vaccine. For the protection of our planet, the only vaccine is our sincere commitment and concrete actions. In other words, we have to be honest and action oriented.

He continued," I plead with the rich nations to look at the less fortunate ones as equal partners. Can we agree, for example, to put an end to the expression ‘high income earning’ in order to accept a vulnerability index, whereby we will be measured not according to the sacrifice, hard work, proper planning and devotion to serve our people, but on how vulnerable we actually are. Seychelles is considered high income, but overnight it lost 75% of its tourism industry due to COVID 19 and the world stopped for her people. That’s vulnerability.

President Ramkalawan explained how Seychelles is doing its utmost to protect its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), coastlines, preserving disappearing islands, managing seagrass meadows and fighting illegal fishing. With the limited resources, he asked for countries to help Seychelles towards such cause.

Mr Ramkalawan highlighted that the young people, future generations and mother nature itself are depending on them as world leaders now during COP26 to accelerate action on climate change.

“Our youth and future generations are pleading and are counting on us. Our children, babies and mother nature herself, are telling us loudly and clearly: No hypocrisy, no make-belief, no empty promises, no hot air. Rather they want our commitment, steadfastness and resolve. Let us not disappoint them, but rather, as one human race, let us save our habitat and by doing so, let us save our planet and ensure the survival of our beautiful mother earth.

The time to act is YESTERDAY ,” concluded Seychelles’ Head of State.