Day: September 12, 2023

Two reserves on Seychelles' Praslin island - Fond Ferdinand and Vallee de Mai - have won the Tripadvisor 2023 Travellers' Choice Awards for August based on 2022 traveller reviews.

The coveted award celebrates destinations that have consistently received great traveller reviews on Tripadvisor over the last 12 months, placing them among the top 10 percent of all listings on the platform globally.

In a recent press statement, the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF), which manages the two reserves, said that in 2022 Vallee de Mai welcomed 106,356 visitors while Fond Ferdinand Reserve received 17,110 visitors.

"These visitor statistics reflect the genuine appeal and universal allure of both sites, marking a significant step forward in the Seychelles' journey towards post-pandemic recovery," said SIF.

SIF's chief executive Frauke Fleischer-Dogley said, "We are over the moon that both sites have been recognised with awards, specifically since this is the first Tripadvisor award for Fond Ferdinand. I will personally congratulate the team on this achievement. This is testimony that our team both on and off site possess the know-how to not only manage established tourism sites, but also to develop the tourism potential of a site."

John Boris, chief growth officer at Tripadvisor, has congratulated the two reserves for their achievement.

"The travel resurgence we've seen throughout the past year has even further heightened the competition. Earning a Travellers' Choice Award demonstrates that Fond Ferdinand and Vallee de Mai have provided great experiences to those who matter most: your guests. With changing expectations, continued labor shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am continually impressed with the hospitality industry's resilience and ability to adapt. Cheers to another successful year," he said.

SIF assumed the responsibility for Fond Ferdinand in September 2020. (Seychelles Nation) Photo License: CC-BY

The Vallee de Mai Special Reserve also won the 2023 Experts' Choice Award, an accolade based on professional reviews.

Experts' Choice Awards are based on more than one million reviews from travel guides, magazines, newspapers and other respected sources and less than 2 percent of venues and attractions globally receive an award.

"Having also been awarded the Experts' Choice award for the Vallee de Mai recognises our commitment to professionalism in tourism. However, we will not stop here, our next step is to scrutinise our tourism operations towards sustainability, not only for our sites but to contribute to a more sustainable tourism industry for the whole of the Praslin community," said Fleischer-Dogley.

With positive reviews from publications such as Lonely Planet and Atlas Obscura, the Vallee de Mai is featured on Tripexpert.com as one of the best attractions in Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean.

The site manager of Vallee de Mai and Fond Ferdinand, Marc Jean-Baptiste extended his heartfelt congratulations to the hardworking staff of both sites for their unwavering dedication, diligence, and loyalty.

"These awards stand as a testament to their exceptional efforts. I am profoundly proud to lead such an extraordinary team that is truly making a positive impact in the Praslin community. Moreover, by providing our esteemed visitors with a once-in-a-lifetime experience at these two outstanding natural wonders of the Seychelles. Thank you for your commitment and contribution to these remarkable achievements," Jean-Baptiste.

The Vallee de Mai special reserve is one of Seychelles' UNESCO World Heritage sites and is where the endemic coco de mer grows in its natural state and is the most visited natural site in Seychelles. It receives around 115,000 visitors per year.

In September 2020, SIF assumed the responsibility for Fond Ferdinand and extended its conservation mandate to one of Praslin's and Seychelles' most cherished protected areas.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

The first ambassador of Djibouti to Seychelles seeks to initiate and develop new bilateral cooperation between the two countries, while the Brazilian ambassador expects to focus on cooperation in the fields of technical, tourism and investment.

The Ambassador of Djibouti to Seychelles, Abdi Eybe, and the Ambassador of Brazil, Gustavo Nogueira, presented their letters of credentials to the President of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, at State House on Tuesday.

The first to be accredited was Eybe.

"I've got my work cut out for me, and I can't wait to get down to work to initiate and develop excellent bilateral cooperation between our two countries," he told reporters.

"As you know, we have a great deal in common. The Seychelles is made up of islands, and Djibouti is also a coastal country with a number of islands. Together with the President, we discussed areas of cooperation such as maritime security and cooperation in the fisheries sector, which will have to be put in place quickly," added Eybe.

Seychelles and Djibouti are already cooperating and collaborating through regional mechanisms, and are members of several regional and continental organisations, such as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the African Union.

While in Seychelles, Eybe is expected to meet with the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Minister of Fisheries, and the Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs, in the absence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism.

The Ambassador of Brazil, Gustavo Nogueira, was also accredited on Tuesday. (State House) Photo License: CC-BY

Meanwhile, the second Brazilian ambassador to Seychelles said he expects to continue strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, building on what his predecessor started.

"We have had many opportunities in the past for stronger contacts. We have a range of bilateral arrangements that we are discussing with different degrees of implementation and that deals with tourism, technical cooperation, further strengthening the flow of people and investment between the two countries," said Nogueira.

Following his accreditation, he called on other local ministers and principal secretaries.

"I am hopeful that this opportunity for a face-to-face discussion with His Excellency the President, as well as with the team of foreign affairs and other members of his cabinet, will allow us to pursue further opportunities," said Nogueira.

Djibouti and Seychelles established diplomatic relations on February 4, 1993. Diplomatic ties between Brazil and Seychelles were established on November 12, 1986.

Eybe will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia whereas Nogueira will be based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

The Minister in charge of Energy, Simon Pierre Boussim, indicated Tuesday in Ouagadougou that the government has adopted a series of measures intended to improve the financial performance and performance of SONABEL, by, among other things, eliminating subsidies to certain large customers.

“The government has adopted a series of measures intended to improve the financial performance of SONABEL and which will come into force from October 1, 2023,” indicated the minister in charge of energy, Simon Pierre Boussim.

According to Mr. Boussim, these measures consist of the application of unsubsidized rates to certain categories of customers including, in particular, banks and other financial establishments, insurance companies, telecommunications companies, international institutions, diplomatic enclaves. .

According to him, this also consists of a rearrangement of SONABEL's tariff structure, consisting of moving the high rates of the day towards the peak of the evening and the lower rates of the evening towards the day.

“This redevelopment should encourage large consumers to shift their energy demand from night to day,” he said.

For the minister, these measures also include the proposal of a negotiated tariff to customers requesting more than 10MW.

«Cette mesure vise à donner la possibilité aux industriels et autres gros consommateurs qui désirent faire des investissements dans le secteur de l’énergie, d’avoir la possibilité de négocier des avantages sur leur facturation », a-t-il souligné.

Pour lui, les différentes mesures mise en place par le gouvernement consisté par ailleurs à un réaménagement de tarif pour mauvais facteur de puissance, par une relecture de la police d’abonnement des gros consommateurs consistant à la suppression de la bonification et le réajustement des pénalités pour mauvaise consommation.

Pour le ministre en charge de l’Energie, à travers l’ensemble de ces mesures, le gouvernement du Burkina Faso, accorde une attention particulière au secteur de l’énergie électrique comme en témoigne l’effort financier consenti depuis toujours dans la subvention du combustible destiné à la production de l’électricité.

« Cependant, au regard de la situation énergétique et économique de notre pays, l’Etat a revu ses priorités en matière de dépenses publiques. Cette nouvelle donne, induit la nécessité d’une réduction progressive des différentes subventions », a-t-il indiqué.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

The spokesperson for the Burkinabe government, Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, said Tuesday that every Burkinabe citizen should feel proud to make their contribution to the fight against terrorism, he is requisitioned.

“Everything that is currently done is done in perfect compliance with the law, with the rules of the republic.

Nous sommes dans une situation de mobilisation générale et de mise en garde.

Cela veut dire que n’importe quel citoyen aujourd’hui peut être appelé.

Cela doit être l’attitude naturelle de chaque citoyen de se sentir prêt à pouvoir apporter cette contribution dans l’œuvre de reconquête du territoire.

La plupart des citoyens burkinabè le font déjà. Ce n’est pas parce qu’un citoyen burkinabè ne porte pas une arme au front.

Il y a beaucoup de citoyens qui sont engagés. Cette disposition est telle que chaque citoyen doit se sentir prêt le cas échéant, à pouvoir apporter cette contribution.

Au-delà du caractère qui peut sembler obligatoire, ça doit être une fierté pour chaque citoyen de pouvoir également se porter en première ligne. », a affirmé Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

The Burkinabè army carried out several raids and land operations in the Center-East (Sablogo), the North and the Sahel, resulting in numerous terrorists killed, equipment recovered and destroyed fuel jars, the AIB learned from security sources.

The Combatant Forces are maintaining the course in the reconquest of the national territory.

In recent hours, they have dealt numerous blows to the terrorists right down to their last entrenchments.

In the Center-East in the Sablogo forest, a terrorist base was wiped out, several terrorists killed, various materials reduced to ashes and fuel jars destroyed including a previously stolen and well-hidden tank.

The majority of escapees will be neutralized by combat helicopters at the level of the trees under which they had taken refuge.

At the same time, nearly 300 criminals rushed into a position of the Fighting Forces in Nongfaire (North).

Faced with the determination of the FDS and VDP, they fled.

But wasted effort, the aerial vectors chase them. Many of them were burned on their machines.

Then the ground units intervene for the sweeps. They recover rolling means, weapons and means of transmission.

Survivors manage to escape and hole up in Petegoli with their means, under a large shed in an abandoned courtyard. New precise strikes consume them along with their equipment.

According to AIB sources, operations continue on all fronts.

Source: Burkina Information Agency