(Seychelles News Agency) - The youth of Seychelles will benefit from a new educational infrastructure thanks to a $7.3 million grant from China as part of a new bilateral agreement signed on Monday.

Under the agreement, the grant will go towards the construction of a new post-secondary school for commerce and visual arts at Anse Royale, a southern district on Mahe.

The Economic and Technical Cooperation agreement was signed by Seychelles’ Foreign Secretary, Claude Morel, and the ambassador of China to the Seychelles, Yu Jinsong, at the Department of Foreign Affairs in the central district of Mont Fleuri. 

The agreement was signed by Foreign Secretary, Claude Morel, and the ambassador of China to the Seychelles, Yu Jinsong. (Salifa Karapetyan, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

“It is a beautiful gift to the youth of Seychelles that each one of us should appreciate, considering that if a nation is to progress, it has to do so through its working force, the youth and education,” said Morel.

He added that: “The [local] government is still working on the details of the educational centre, [which] will be submitted to the Chinese embassy soon.”

Bilateral relations between the two countries have existed since 1976 and China has financed several projects in Seychelles. This includes the construction and completion of the primary school of Glacis and Baie Lazare, the Palais de Justice, the National Assembly building among others projects.

“For the moment, we are working hard on the Corgat Housing Assistance Project. This project aims to improve the housing conditions and the quality of life of the inhabitants of the Mont Fleuri district,” said Jinsong.

Another project sponsored by the Chinese government is the construction of the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation House, which was initiated last year.

“The Chinese government is delighted to see these projects help promote social and economic development, and bring benefits to the Seychellois people,” said the Chinese ambassador.

Both parties said they want to see the bilateral relationship between the two countries continue to flourish and grow for the benefit of both their people.