Jean Claude Adrienne grew up with a desire to be a part of one of the important industries for Seychelles, Tourism. He began his career as an immigration officer in 1977. He credits his expertise and diplomacy traits to his 8-years of experience as a protocol officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Today, he is a proud Ambassador of Republic of Seychelles and effectively takes the onus of an embassy abroad and represent Seychelles at its best.

1.How long have you been the Ambassador of Republic of Seychelles in the UAE? Did you in the past handle this position somewhere else?

I am the Ambassador of Republic of Seychelles in the UAE for the past few months, but hospitality of the region makes me feel like it’s been quite a long time. I have also presented my credentials to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai. In 2010, I was appointed number two in Seychelles’ high commission in India where I worked for three years.

What’s the most special thing about Seychelles that you would like to highlight in this region? Why do you think this region will get attracted to Seychelles?

Well, it’s the beauty of the country without a doubt. If you’ve never seen dazzling white beaches, then you should go to the Seychelles. We also have the greenest of mountains and clear blue seas surrounding our 115 islands. These, plus endemic flora and fauna are the main attractions to the Seychelles. As a result of this, tourism is, and has been for many years, our main industry. We would like really to bring more tourists to the Seychelles of course, but within certain limits. Investment is also a priority as there is a lot of potential in our islands. We would like to count on the collaboration of the UAE Government to really assist in these particular areas.

What’s the history behind the name Seychelles? How did the name Seychelles come about?

Seychelles has quite an interesting history as it was colonized by both the French and English. We are now independent. Seychelles is the name of a French Governor, who came to Seychelles.

What promotions are you doing to generate business opportunities?

I am new here, but we’re in the process of initiating different activities to really boost tourism and to promote new investments in the Seychelles.
 
 
 

How would you do that? Are you participating in exhibitions?

We are participating in different exhibitions which are held in the region. And of course, there are also a lot of people who either call in or drop into the Embassy with queries about investment opportunities. I also meet a lot of interested investors in the official functions that I attend.

Which sector will most boost the economy for Seychelles?

Like I said above, our key industry is tourism, but we are doing our best to boost the “BLUE ECONOMY” as well. There is a lot of emphasis on this concept at the moment and of course manufacturing, which we hope will provide a lot of employment for our youth. Like the rest of Africa, we have a very young population.

What prospect do you see in expanding the association within the UAE? Are there any client projects?? Have you signed up any projects?

We are looking for that now and will shortly conclude some projects which will benefit both the countries, Seychelles and UAE.

Are you looking to have some free-zone for Seychelles?

It is a very exciting idea and we would like to explore it.

What do you think is the best when we come to Seychelles? Suppose we are not a beach person, what do you think we should look forward? How is the food, the gourmet?

The nature of Seychelles. There are many nature trails where you can see endemic plants and animals. The weather is always pleasant and the food, which is a mix of African, European and Indian, is excellent. There is no doubt that you will like it. Our local fish is the best in the world.
 
 
 
 

What is the average expectancy of life in Seychelles? How long do the people live?

For females, it is up to 79 years and males up to 75 years.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

What is the main trait of Seychelles? What is the main source of business and economy and what is the GDP mainly made off?

Well, as Seychelles is focusing on tourism, everything is related to it. So we have a lot of travel agencies, tour operators, hotels, car hire companies etc. We are also exporting a lot of fish to different countries, even to the Middle East.
 
 

Which kind of fisheries mainly go?

It’s tuna mostly. We have the biggest tuna factory in the region.

On a personal level, how is your day? What do you do?

I always start with a bit of exercise to get me going. The Corniche is beautiful and I go there regularly in the morning and afternoon. Then, unless I have a meeting outside the office, I come to the Embassy, where there is always a lot to do – projects to follow-up, meetings with people, letters to write and more. We have to liaise a lot with different organizations and ministries. Very often, in the evening, I have to attend official functions. This is my day, in a nutshell.