From the 11th to the 22nd of May 2026, a staff delegation of the National Assembly of Seychelles participated in the First Capacity Building Programme for the Civil Servants of Seychelles, held in Mussoorie and New Delhi, India. The delegation comprised of Public Relations and Protocol Manager Ms. Angelique Hill, and Information Centre Manager Ms. Thelma Joseph. This jointly structured programme hosted by the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) was made possible through collaboration between the Government of India and the Government of Seychelles, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to train 250 civil servants from Seychelles. The two‑week programme, coordinated by NCGG Coordinators Dr. B.S. Bisht and Dr. Sanjeev Sharma, brought together senior public officials to strengthen competencies in governance, public administration, and service delivery, while fostering deeper bilateral cooperation.
The training commenced with an inaugural session led by Director General of NCGG Dr. Surendrakumar Bagde, IAS, who underscored the importance of knowledge exchange and institutional collaboration between the two countries. The depth of this collaboration was underscored as representatives of all three branches of the Government of Seychelles were present to undertake this learning experience. Participants engaged in a comprehensive curriculum covering a wide range of themes central to modern governance, including digital public infrastructure, ethical and modern usage of Artificial Intelligence, financial resource management, anti-corruption strategies, Public-Private Partnership infrastructure, amongst other pertinent topics. The programme placed a strong emphasis on India’s institutional innovations, such as platforms for capacity building and digital transformation, providing participants with practical insights and refreshed approaches to common obstacles.
In addition to classroom sessions, the programme incorporated field visits and institutional engagements to enhance practical learning. Key institutions included the Information Technology Development Agency (ITDA), Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), and Institute of Secretariat Training and Management (ISTM). Ms. Jospeh reflected that “this capacity building programme was an exceptional and high-quality professional development experience. The institutional visits, in particular, provided a dimension of learning that complements classroom instruction, seeing first-hand how large-scale governance systems function in practice.” Cultural and heritage sites were also included in the site visits, providing a valuable opportunity for cultural exchange and people-to-people dialogues.
On Friday 22nd May, the cohort graduated from the programme in a Valedictory Session, marking the first successful completion of this initiative under the MoU. This reflects the growing partnership between India and Seychelles in the area of capacity building and public sector reform.
Speaking on the experience, Ms. Hill remarked that “it was an honour to form part of the first cohort of Civil Servants to attend this high-level capacity building programme. The expertise delivered by both academic and technical experts was truly enriching, and I extend my sincerest thanks to the NCGG for giving us the opportunity to learn from the best.” By facilitating knowledge exchange and skills development, the initiative aims to sustainably enhance governance capabilities in Seychelles while reinforcing long‑standing diplomatic ties.
