Setting up of the Designated Authority is of paramount importance and its processes have to be carried out carefully
October 24, 2016
Setting up of the Designated Authority is of paramount importance and its processes have to be carried out carefully
The Seychelles-Mauritius Technical Committee of the Joint Management Area (JMA), met for their 15th meeting today at the Conference Room on the 6th Floor of the MLUH Independence House Annex Building; Victoria.
During the opening of the meeting this morning, Mr. Raymond Chang-Tave, Special Advisor to the Ministry of Land Use and Housing outlined the works that has been done so far and that the legal documents for the establishment of the Designated Authority are issues of paramount importance on the agenda.
“The processes for the establishment of the Designated Authority cannot be compromised at this point in time as this is the most important mechanism provided for in the Treaty for the effective and efficient joint management of resources in the Joint Management Area (JMA), stated Mr. Chang-tave.
Mr Chang-Tave also said that the offices of the Designated Authority has to be up and running in order to create the essential point of contact for investors, and in addition, “to create the investors’ confidence for exploration and exploitation of resources that lie in the seabed and subsoil of the Extended Continental shelf, he stated.
And on his part, H.E. Ambassador J. Koonjul, stated that they are keen to know more on the process for the setting up of the Designated Authority (DA), so as to have it functional, “the process has to be carried out with careful attention to details”, said Ambassador Koonjul.
The DA was established under Article 4 of the Treaty Concerning the Joint Management of the Continental Shelf in the Mascareign Plateau Region 2012. This was done between the Republic of Seychelles and that of Mauritius.
H.E. Ambassador J. Koonjul continued by saying that we are all inspired by the same objectives, “that is to do things that are going to be helpful for future generations to come”.
members of the Technical Committee will be discussing various issues on the agenda, including the review and adoption of the Model Agreement for the conduct of Geotechnical survey (multi-client survey), Domestication of the Joint Fiscal and Taxation Code, Review of the legal framework for the Establishment of the Designated Authority as well aspreparation of report for the 10th Joint Commissioners Meeting.
Delegates from both countries will be preparing for the 10th Joint Commissioners meeting, which will take place on Wednesday the 26th October. Mr. Philip Michaud, Special Advisor for the Ministry of Finance, Trade and the Blue Economy will be heading the Seychelles delegation in the Joint Commissioners meeting and Mr N.K. Ballah, Secretary to Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service, will head the Mauritius Delegation.