Seychelles Sustainable Development Strategy 2012-2020 (Volume 1).

This Sustainable Development Strategy (SSDS) is a nationwide multi-sectoral document aiming at improving the sustainable development management in Seychelles in a way to achieve a delicate balance between the small-island ecosystems and economic growth, included deriving more from tourism, fisheries, fresh water supply, agriculture, and recreational activities. The Strategy seeks to contribute to the realization of the nation’s economic, social and cultural potential through an innovative, knowledge-led approach, while being mindful of the need to conserve the integrity of the Seychelles natural environment and heritage for present and future generations, as provided by the Vision's statement. The Vision reflects the determination of a nation to embrace modernity with a penchant on maintaining a high quality of life based upon a green economy, low pollution and a rich biodiversity environment. The Strategy is the result of the passage from the previous Environmental Management Plans into a national strategy for development due to the need to shift from being seen as exclusively an environmental matter to become a national matter of prime importance derived from extensive multi-stakeholder consultations. It follows that sustainable approach was required to tackle many of the issues, in particular (i) population growth; (ii) agriculture; (iii) land use; (iv) coastal management; (v) fisheries; and (vi) addressing climate change adaptation and mitigation. It is composed of an institutional document (Volume 1) and a detailed Action Plan (Volume 2).
Sustainable development is governed by a set of principles that must be the basis of the implementation of the Strategy's Action Plan (Volume 2), they are (i) sustainable use of natural resources; (ii) interrelationship and integration; (iii) precautionary principle to avoid serious potential harm; (iv) inter and intra-generational equity; (v) conservation of biological diversity and ecological integrity; and (vi) internalization of external environmental costs.
This Section of the document focuses on the importance of the effective establishment of systems of Governance for the the implementation of sustainable development. A Council - chaired by the Minister responsible for Environment and including representation from government, private sector, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and community representatives - shall be established to (i) provide direction and oversight of the work of the National Coordinator, with executive powers, and the Secretariat; (ii) act as a facilitator for project approval and implementation. Finally the operational level shall be composed of (i) a Project Management Unit; (ii) a Fund Mobilization Unit; (iii) a Knowledge Base Unit; and (iv) a Monitoring and Evaluation Unit.