Seychelles Celebrates Africa Industrialisation Day

Panafrican News Agency, 20 November 2000

Port-Louis, Mauritius - Seychelles has stated that it would continue to support the local productive capacity and enable local businesses to participate fully in the globalisation process and share the benefits.

In a speech to mark Africa Industrialisation Day Monday, the Island nation's industries and international business minister, Patrick Pillay, said that government would strive to establish the right conditions for continued and efficient private sector development.

"The government's effort in this direction includes putting in place a conducive policy environment, institutional and legal frameworks, physical infrastructure, promotion of local and foreign investment, promotion of appropriate technology, quality and standards, provision of education and training," he said in the speech monitored in Port-Louis.

He recalled the government has introduced new measures such as incentives and various business support services.

Pillay declared that it was imperative for Seychelles to step up its industrialisation effort in a bid to integrate the country into the global market.

"Globalisation is a moving target, and this presents to us and to the rest of the world, a double challenge. We all have to be flexible and quick to adapt to the changes happening in the world in the field of industrialisation," the minister added.

However, he emphasised, integration will give rise to gainers and losers, "hence the need to boost our domestic industrial capacity in order to face the challenges which may arise."

The theme of the 2000 Africa Industrialisation Day is "Strengthening the Productive Capacity in Africa."