(Seychelles News Agency) - Mayors of Indian Ocean countries are convening in Seychelles to discuss issues specific to the region including the circular economy and waste management as well as elect a new committee.

During the two-day workshop taking place at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Hotel, organised by the Association of Cities and Communities of the Indian Ocean (AVCOI) and International Association of Francophone Mayors (IAFM), a new committee will be elected.

The representatives will also attend round table discussions about the role of local authorities in the development of the Blue Economy.

The AVCOI is an association that groups the local authorities of the Indian Ocean, founded in 1990 and made up of towns and local authorities from the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Reunion, and Seychelles.

The Association's main role is to drive concrete projects for local development and regional integration in the Indian Ocean region.

"We meet annually to discuss issues that we have in common, and find ways to share ideas and experiences of dealing with these issues," the Mayor of Victoria, Lydia Charlie, told reporters.

The representatives will also attend round table discussions about the role of local authorities in the development of the Blue Economy. (Seychelles News Agency)  Photo License: CC-BY

She said that this year's themes affect all of the Indian Ocean islands and through the meeting, those attending will be able to share and compare experiences.

"For instance, there are some of the countries present who are not taking moves to collect and save water to use in times of droughts, since we are doing so here, we will be able to share that experience with them," said Charlie.

The group of mayors, three deputy mayors, general managers, experts from AVCOI and the AIFM Secretariat have expressed hope that once the discussions are over, they will be able to propose projects that they will be able to implement together.

"This is quite an important meeting, as now the Blue Economy is quite important, especially in Seychelles, where the protection of the environment is one of its main concerns," said the AVCOI executive secretary, Gilles Loir-Mongazon.

"This is an area that impacts tourism, and we all know tourism means economic activity in the region," he said.

Once all the discussions are completed the mayors will also attend a general assembly meeting to elect a new AAVCOI Board.