Cabinet Business- Thursday 17th April 2025
President Wavel Ramkalawan, chaired a scheduled meeting of the Cabinet yesterday Wednesday 16th April, in which a number of legal and policy memoranda were approved.
The Cabinet approved the enactment of the Hazardous Chemicals Bill and the Hazardous Chemical (Mercury) Regulations to domesticate Seychelles' obligations under the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm, and Minamata Conventions. The new legal framework introduces robust measures for the classification, control, and disposal of hazardous chemicals and mercury, and aligns national standards with international practices. Cabinet also approved the repeal of the Pesticides Control Act, 1996, and endorsed consequential amendments to related laws to ensure comprehensive regulatory alignment. This decision reinforces environmental and public health protections.
The Cabinet approved the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment's proposal to review and update the ozone-related regulations under the Environment Protection Act, 2016, to ensure Seychelles remains compliant with the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. The review will focus on aligning the Environment Protection (Ozone) Regulations, 2010 and the Environment Protection (Environmental Levies) Regulations, 2018 with the Kigali Implementation Plan, through measures such as integrating national standards for natural refrigerants, phasing out high-GWP substances, and restructuring levies to encourage uptake of refrigerants with lower global warming potential.
Cabinet approved the introduction of Transfer Pricing Regulations under the Business Tax Act, 2009, to clarify and support the application of Section 54, following its 2022 amendment. The Regulations will act as a guidance to interpret Section 54, and was developed in collaboration with the Seychelles Revenue Commission and the World Bank and aims to enhance taxpayer compliance and reduce complexity. The Regulations provide clearer definitions, guidance on the arm's length principle, and the requirement for self-assessment of transfer pricing and adjustments without imposing new tax burdens. They will apply retrospectively from 1st January 2023.
Cabinet approved the correction of the Schedule Description for the boundaries of Silhouette National Park at Anse La Passe and Grand Barbe to align with the mapped boundaries used at the time of the park's designation. This amendment addresses discrepancies identified during an Environmental Impact Assessment, ensuring legal consistency between the written description and the official GIS maps.
Cabinet approved the main messages for Seychelles' Second Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which reaffirm the country's strong commitment to sustainable, inclusive development and people-centred development. The messages highlight progress in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals since the 2020 VNR, alignedment with the National Development Strategy 2024–2028, and a data-driven, participatory approach to policy and service delivery. Emphasis is placed on inclusive governance, economic diversification, climate resilience, environmental preservation, and strengthened social protection systems. The VNR reflects Seychelles' balanced, citizen-centred development model as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), and will be submitted to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs for presentation at the 2025 High-Level Political Forum.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.
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