On Friday 29th to Saturday 30th May 2026, the Parliamentary Green Investment Dialogue and National Capacity Building was hosted, with the aim of reinforcing Seychelles’ leadership as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) pursuing innovative, resilient, and investment-oriented climate solutions. The event was held under the Parliamentarians for Climate Finance Project (PCF), which is being implemented by the Climate Parliament and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) with support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
The high-level event brought together parliamentarians, policymakers, investors, project developers, members of the private sector, financial institutions, representatives of ministries, departments, and agencies, and technical experts. The delegation of the National Assembly of Seychelles was led by the Honourable Speaker of Parliament and Chairperson of the Committee on Environment, Fisheries and Tourism (CEFT), Speaker Hon. Azarel Ernesta, and comprised of the Deputy Speaker Hon. Egbert Aglae, Leader of Government Business Hon. Sylvanne Lemiel, and Members Hon. John Hoareau, Hon. Valdana Sultan, Hon. Gervais Henrie, Hon. Cecile Larsen (in her capacity as Chair of the Parliamentary Steering Committee), Hon. Robert David, Hon. Francois Adelaide, Hon. Dominic Savy, and Hon. Alvin Grandcourt. The delegation was supported by the Deputy Clerk and Chairperson of the Environmental Policy Implementation Committee (EPIC) Ms. Alexandria Faure, Vice Chairperson of EPIC Ms. Emma Didon, along with CEFT Committee Clerk for Tourism Ms. Samia Lebon, CEFT Committee Clerk Assistant Ms. Petra Tirant, EPIC Member Mrs. Gillian Samson, and Budget Officer Ms. Ranishaa Chetty.
In her inspiring inaugural address, Hon. Ernesta emphasised that, “Parliamentarians cannot achieve change in isolation. Parliament cannot legislate effectively without evidence and expertise.” Speaker Ernesta underscored that the workshop’s focus extends beyond awareness-raising, placing greater emphasis on implementation and tangible outcomes. As a SIDS, Seychelles is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including coastal erosion, ecosystem degradation, and energy security challenges associated with its reliance on imported fossil fuels, despite its minimal contribution to global environmental degradation. In her address, Hon. Larsen emphasised the critical role of legislators in driving a national green transition. By engaging directly with parliamentarians, all stakeholders can better ensure that environmental initiatives are inclusive, transparent, and aligned with national development priorities. Ms. Lucy Pearson, Executive Director of the Climate Parliament, highlighted the role of the Climate Parliament and the PCF project in advancing climate action and strengthening parliamentary engagement on climate finance and accelerating the renewable energy transition.
Throughout the two-day workshop, participants engaged in a series of sessions covering key themes including renewable energy deployment, electric mobility, energy efficiency, climate-resilient infrastructure, unlocking green investment, and the development of climate legislation. The sessions were led by distinguished experts including the Rt. Hon. Barry Gardiner, Dr. Christan Fleischer of the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC), Mrs. Eliza Cocksworth-Rylands Network Manager at Climate Parliament, Professor Aruna Sivakumar of Imperial College London, Dr. Laurent Sam Climate Finance and Energy expert at UNIDO, Ms. Rajelle Barbe of the Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA), Mr. Elvis Octave Technical Advisor, and Mr. Manu Maudgal and Mr. Sunit Mathur of Climate Parliament.
These expert presentations were complemented by targeted panel discussions consisting of interventions from Ms. Alexandria Faure, Hon. Alvin Grandcourt, Mr. Richard Hoareau of Energy Solutions Seychelles, Mr. Jayaant Mayadas CEO of PMC Auto, Ms. Angelique Juliette Head of Law at the University of Seychelles, Mr. Eric Borremans of Vetiver Tech, Mr. Julius Joubert of the Ministry for Finance, and Ms. Axelle Bodwell of the Bodwell Climate Advisory.
During the panel session titled “Green Energy Constituencies”, discussions on locally established projects and insights on the future of sustainable development realities were led by Hon. Grandcourt, Deputy Clerk Ms. Faure, Mr. Richard Hoareau, and Mrs. Eliza Cocksworth-Rylands. Hon. Grandcourt remarked that “the panel discussion was a great experience to take part in and share my thoughts on clean energy. This is a topic that matters deeply to Seychelles, to the world, and one that I am truly passionate about.” The dialogue placed a strong emphasis on unlocking financing for green projects while addressing regulatory and institutional barriers that continue to limit project implementation. Ms. Faure highlighted that the sessions were key in connecting parliamentarians with experts and financial/private sector stakeholders to discuss actionable solutions towards climate change mitigation and adaptation.
The PCF’s knowledge and resource was also launched at the dialogue where Speaker Ernesta was presented with the strategic roadmap designed to support African Parliaments in leading toward a sustainable and equitable energy transition. The roadmap also emphasizes legislative leadership as the essential link required to provide the policy certainty and transparent oversight needed to de-risk projects. The hub represents the culmination of extensive work undertaken throughout the PCF project, with Climate Parliament and UNIDO teams developing policy briefs, research papers, training materials, and other valuable resource documents. All these materials are open-source and available through the website of Climate Parliament for all parliamentarians and any interested stakeholder. They are intended to support continued learning, collaboration, and informed policymaking on climate finance and sustainable development.
The outcomes of the workshop included the identification of priority legislative actions, an improved understanding of climate finance mechanisms, and the development of clearer pathways for advancing investment-ready projects that support Seychelles’ green transition. Furthermore, the event reinforced the critical role of parliamentary action and engagement in climate efforts and legislation.
The successful delivery of the event was made possible through the efforts of the team responsible for its conceptualisation, planning, and implementation, including Ms. Shannon Surman Policy Coordinator at the Climate Parliament, Dr. Laurent Sam, Mrs. Eliza Cocksworth-Rylands, and Ms. Lucy Pearson.
