LAUNCHING OF THE NATIONAL TSUNAMI READY BOARD 22nd July,2025
It is my pleasure to join you today for the official launching of the National Tsunami Ready Board for Seychelles a significant step forward in strengthening our country’s disaster preparedness and resilience, particularly against one of the most sudden and potentially devastating threats: tsunamis.
Let me begin by thanking Mr. Ardito Kodijat for joining us virtually and for delivering a detailed overview of the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme. Your continued support to Seychelles and other Small Island Developing States in the Indian Ocean is both valued and appreciated.
The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami remains etched in our collective memory. While Seychelles did not suffer the catastrophic fatalities seen elsewhere, we nonetheless experienced the far-reaching impact of the event. Homes, infrastructure and livelihoods were affected, and the event served as a wake-up call for all of us - highlighting that even with geographical distance from the epicentre, no island nation is immune to the destructive power of ocean-based hazards.
Since then, the Government of Seychelles has made steady progress in improving our early warning capabilities and emergency preparedness. But we are well aware that technology alone cannot save lives. As highlighted in the Tsunami Ready guidelines: a community’s ability to respond effectively depends not just on alerts - but on its awareness, planning, and readiness to act within minutes.
This is precisely where the Tsunami Ready Programme finds its value:It is not simply about recognition - but about creating a systematic and community-based culture of preparedness.It supports our alignment with global frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development - all of which underscore the importance of resilience and inclusiveness.
The National Tsunami Ready Board being established today is a cornerstone of our engagement in this international programme. It is mandated to provide strategic oversight, guide implementation, coordinate resources, and facilitate community-level tsunami readiness through the 12 established indicators outlined by UNESCO-IOC.
The Board will serve as a national mechanism to ensure that our efforts are not only coordinated but are locally grounded, sustainable, and inclusive.
To the appointed members I extend my congratulations and sincere appreciation for your willingness to take on this responsibility. Your respective institutions be it in meteorology, disaster management, policing, coastal development, or emergency response play a vital role in ensuring that Seychelles is prepared for any eventuality. You are now entrusted with translating policy into practice, guidance into action, and data into meaningful preparedness.
Let us remember that being tsunami ready is not just about achieving indicators. It is about embedding a culture of readiness in our schools, our communities, and our institutions. And beyond tsunamis, these measures will inherently strengthen our readiness for a range of other hazards - be it cyclones, storm surges, or other coastal threats.
On this note, I am pleased to formally declare: The National Tsunami Ready Board for Seychelles is hereby officially established. With this declaration, we are sending a clear message to our citizens, our region, and our international partners that Seychelles is committed to strengthening disaster risk governance and ensuring no one is left behind in times of crisis.
Let us move forward with unity, determination, and shared responsibility. Thank you, and I wish the Board every success in fulfilling its important mandate.