A top United Arab Emirates (UAE) official visited Seychelles to further cement an agreement with the island nation to modernise its civil service.

Seychelles and the UAE signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to modernise and transform the island nation's public service in Dubai on March 29 on the sidelines of the World Government Summit 2022.

Abdulla Nasser Lootah, the Deputy Minister for Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, told reporters on Monday that one of the aims of his visit is to ensure that what both countries agreed on is being implemented in the best way possible.

Through the MOU, which will cover a three-year period, joint action will be taken to boost institutional capacities and government practices, while enhancing governance. 

As part of the three-year agreement, a group of 27 chief executives and senior officials from Seychelles graduated recently from an intensive executive leadership programme sponsored by the United Arab Emirates.

He congratulated the participants from Seychelles, saying that their participation was second to none.

"We are working on what are the next executive training programmes that we need to tailor-make on the requirements of Seychelles," Lootah revealed.

Lootah said one of the aims of his visit is to ensure that what both countries agreed on is being implemented in the best way possible. (Seychelles Nation) Photo License: CC-BY

Among the areas that the two countries will touch upon are the requirements for those who will attend the training courses and what the top priorities are for the last year of the agreement.

"From the deepest part of our hearts we want the Seychelles to look at the MOU and ask if can we renew it, not only for three years but for six years," said Lootah.

He said that the last milestone of the agreement will include a lot of work from the UAE side.

Part of the work the two countries are carrying out is economic growth but ensuring sustainability.

He said that the projects the two countries are carrying out are aimed at "providing for the basic needs of a citizen of Seychelles. What do citizens want? They want great services with the least procedures at the least cost possible."

This will also involve cutting down the processes in the civil service to one agent where they can make their payments and all other required steps of the services they are asking for.

Lootah explained that the red tape of the internal work before members of the public receive the service should not be a public issue.