29th May 2025

PRESS RELEASE

SEYCHELLES PLANNING AUTHORITY AND  DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT DIVISION STRENGTHEN TIES FOR NATIONAL RESILIENCE: A NEW ERA OF COLLABORATION 

In response to the growing climate and disaster-related risks, the Seychelles Planning Authority (SPA) and the Department of Risk and Disaster Management (DRMD) have embarked on a multi-faceted collaboration aimed at strengthening national disaster resilience. Key to this partnership is increased participation by SPA in workshops and training organised by DRMD to bolster technical expertise and institutional capacity. A critical joint initiative includes the co-development of the “La Digue Special Guideline”. Simultaneously, SPA is being positioned to benefit from Seychelles’ impending membership in the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), a global partnership offering technical assistance, capacity-building, and support for resilient infrastructure development.

Furthermore, this collaboration includes joint efforts in developing new policies aligned with Seychelles’ updated risk profiles, including landslides, flooding, tsunami threats, and watershed management, supported by tools such as the HydroAtlas. A draft Shelter Guideline, currently under review by DRMD’s Recovery, Enforcement & Humanitarian Affairs Unit, will also benefit from SPA’s technical input. The SPA Principal Policy Analyst, Ms. Elissa Lalande will join the newly established National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction under the Disaster Management Act of 2024, reinforcing the agency’s role in shaping national strategies. This platform, revitalized through the EU-funded RDRM-IO project in partnership with the IOC, UNDRR, and the Italian Red Cross, seeks to align national frameworks with international best practices. Moreover, SPA is encouraged to contribute draft proposals on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), explore policies incorporating Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EBA), and enhance data sharing mechanisms, particularly on Loss and Damage. These comprehensive actions were formally consolidated with the signing of a proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the morning of Tuesday, 27th May, by the CEO of SPA, Ms. Angela Servina and the Director General at DRMD Mr. Robert Ernesta at the Seychelles Planning Authority Office at Independence House. The ceremony marked a strategic milestone in strengthening institutional collaboration for a more resilient Seychelles.