The newly accredited high commissioner of Australia to Seychelles, Sandra Vegting, has said the two countries are exploring areas where cooperation and relations could be strengthened.

She was speaking to journalists after presenting her credentials to President James Michel and holding talks with him yesterday morning at State House.

Ms Vegting is the 13th Australian high commissioner to Seychelles, replacing Catherine Johnson, who served from November 2007 to November 2010.

On her first visit to Seychelles, she described the talks with Mr Michel and Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Paul Adam as very “warm and useful”.

Among the various areas being considered for more cooperation is environment, and Ms Vegting said her country appreciates the leading role Seychelles is taking in the ongoing multilateral talks about Small Island Developing States adapting to climate change.

“This is an area where we can do more,” she said.

Existing cooperation to fight the threat of piracy was another area for discussion, and Ms Vegting congratulated Seychelles on its contribution to this action.

Cooperation between the two countries in the area of budget planning, and the help Australia has been giving Seychelles to develop its budget plans and analysis, were also discussed at length.

Other ways are being looked at to further strengthen this area, and Ms Vegting said her government will be awarding scholarships this year to the Ministry of Finance and other sectors of the public service, focusing mainly on the economic reform process. 

Education and cooperation between Edith Cowan University in Australia and the University of Seychelles were also on the agenda.

“We had broad-ranging talks and we covered a lot of issues,” said Ms Vegting, who is based in Mauritius.

She said continuing to help Seychelles in its reform process and its adaptation to climate change, as well as capacity building to preserve its environmental beauty, will be among her priorities during her mandate.

Ms Vegting will today call on National Assembly speaker Dr Patrick Herminie. Courtesy calls on ministers and other government officials have also been scheduled.