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Your Highnesses, Your Excellencies, ladies
and gentlemen,

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allow me to start with a cup of solidarity
for Turkey, Syria,

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and everyone engulfed in pain and tears

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as a result of Mother Earth's sufferings and
tribulations.

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We stand together as one family,

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united through common aspirations.

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Climate change affects the development of all
nations,

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regardless of location, size of the economy,
or demographics.

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Yet, no other group of nations is more
vulnerable

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to its devastating effects than small island
developing states, the seeds.

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Climate change is the current reality and
nightmare for seeds like satchels.

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With the majority of our populations living
on land

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that is less than five metres above sea
level,

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or along coasts the threat of sea level rise,

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storm surges and coastal destruction pose
existential risks to us.

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Seeds live through constant assaults from
climate change

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that undermine our livelihood, security and
our mere existence.

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Beautiful beaches representing the sea, sun
and sand

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that attract visitors and sustain our economy
are at sea level,

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thus making us most vulnerable.

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Danger is staring us in the eye daily.

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As the president of a small island developing
state,

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Africa's smallest country with just under
100,000 inhabitants,

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I know how vulnerable the satchels is to
climate change

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and how imperative sustainability is and will
be to our survival.

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Sea level rise poses a significant threat to
small island communities and ecosystems.

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95% of satchels critical infrastructure is
located on the coast

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and is exposed to impacts of sea level rise
such as coastal erosion,

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salinization of coastal aquifers affecting
ground and surface water,

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impeded drainage and loss of coastal and
marine ecosystems.

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Sea level rise has also resulted in
contraction of habitats,

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shifts in the geographical location of
coastal species and loss of biodiversity.

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Over 40% of Szechuan

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live in low-lying areas which will also be
directly impacted by the rising sea level.

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While also being exposed to flooding and
extreme weather

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that all local communities in satchels will
have to endure.

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While the ocean threatens to sink our
Coraline Islands

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and make our populated granitic ones
uninhabitable,

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my people also depend on it for their
livelihood.

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With our culture and identity intrinsically
tied to its vibrancy and health.

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With most economic activities lying along a
narrow coastal zone,

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sea level rise due to the impact of climate
change is of great concern to the satchels.

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Coastal erosion is a major threat to the
environment.

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Coastal erosion is already being experienced
across the country,

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particularly over the main islands.

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For the past years, observed peaks in the sea
level

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were more likely attributed to thermal
expansion of the oceans,

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a rise in sea level due to rising water
temperature

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and associated with climate variability.

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The upward trend in the sea level has
gradually become more pronounced

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and today we are facing the new harsh reality
of climate change.

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The long-term trend shows a rise in sea level
to approximately plus 6.1 millimeters per...

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At the century scale and without adaptation,

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the vast majority of low-lying islands,
coasts and communities

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face substantial risks from these coastal
hazards,

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whether they are urban or rural, continental
or island,

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at any latitude and irrespective of their
level of development.

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Small island developing states like satchels

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experience a series of unique social and
economic development challenges

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and these are linked directly to our small
size.

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Economically, we tend to be high-income
countries,

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but socially, we tend to endure widespread
inequality,

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which means that we carry some of the largest
economic challenges

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and external debt burdens in the world.

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We have high levels of social capital and
community cohesion,

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but we are the ones to experience severe
capacity constraints

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in terms of delivery of adequate public
services.

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Environmentally, we bear little
responsibility for the global economy

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and environmentally, we bear little
responsibility for the global concentratio...

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Yet, we are disproportionately vulnerable to
climate-induced shocks

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and intensifying ecological transitions,

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making us the most vulnerable societies to
climate change.

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It should be noted that seeds have been at
the forefront of global discussions

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on strong climate mitigation efforts,

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minimizing the risks from climate change and
on mechanisms to address loss and damage.

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But we cannot do it alone.

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Dealing with the impacts of climate change is
complex and multifaceted

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and can only be approached holistically.

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Hence, why international cooperation is
crucial

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if we want to help small island nations
address the impact of climate change.

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We need not only financial aid,

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but technological and capacity-building
support to mitigate and adapt.

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There is an urgent need to strengthen
international cooperation,

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including North-South, South-South, and
Triangular Cooperation now.

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It is now more than ever to ensure genuine
and durable partnerships

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at both regional and international levels.

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Ultimately, countries like Seychelles need
partnerships,

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equal partnerships, to face the climate
crisis.

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Although Seychelles is considered as a
high-income country,

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we do share similar issues with the
vulnerable groups

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when it comes to climate change adaptation,

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when it comes to disaster risk reduction,
recovery, and rehabilitation considerations,

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and environmental sustainability.

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Countries should not be punished, as we feel,

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for their hard work and commitment for the
betterment of their peoples.

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There needs to be a way that concessional
financing and grants

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are unlocked to make the critical sectors of
economies of such countries more resilient.

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For this reason, Seychelles fully supports
the adoption and implementation

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of a multidimensional vulnerability index,
MVI.

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And we see this as a more equitable measure
of vulnerability for seeds and LDCs.

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As complex causes for vulnerability will
persist,

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the need and the call for the development of
indices

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that adequately capture the particular
vulnerabilities of seeds like Seychelles i...

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It will help to guide programmatic support,

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viable debt service payment, and financing
for sustainable development.

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Building resilience and adaptation to climate
change is important,

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and the whole government approach must be
taken.

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The national and local authorities
responsible for critical infrastructures

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and the development of the ecosystem

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and regulating finance and investment must
work hand in hand

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with authorities responsible for climate
change and environmental issues.

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Information flow and planning between these
entities and other parts of government

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are key for minimizing risks and making
informed decisions.

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Climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction,
recovery and rehabilitation considerations,

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and environmental sustainability needs and
concerns

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must be integrated into public as well as
private, medium to long-term plans.

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The ocean and its resources provide seeds
with the right resources

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and opportunities to make use of its vast
water territories.

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It provides opportunities for economic
growth,

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enhances the livelihood of the nation, and
the reinforcement of energy security.

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In 2018, the Seychelles launched the world's
first sovereign blue bonds,

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mobilizing 15 million USD for blue economy
projects

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that support sustainable marine and fisheries
projects.

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Proceeds from the bond support, for example,

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the expansion of marine protected areas and
improved fisheries governance.

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In March 2020, the Seychelles secured the
first ever climate adaptation debt...

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Part of the country's foreign debt will be
forgiven in exchange

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for designating 32% of its ocean territory as
MPAs.

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Highnesses, excellencies, ladies and
gentlemen,

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Seychelles, like other seeds, is building a
vision for a climate resilient future

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that puts adaptation and loss and damage at
the center of its decision making

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while taking immediate actions now to protect
the people, the economy, and the environment.

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This is the Seychelles' way that I profess.

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For this reason, we are second on the More
Ibrahim Index.

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We are considered the least corrupt country
in Africa

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as far as the perception of corruption is
concerned by transparency international

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and first when it comes to the freedom of the
media.

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Democracy has taken firm roots.

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Political stability is the norm, and
protecting the environment only comes...

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We are small, but we are punching above our
weight.

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But again, we cannot do it alone.

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The review of the criteria to measure
development support and access to funding ...

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The application of the MVI, therefore,
remains for seeds a coherent and viable...

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and strategy by resolving our current
predicament.

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We are all part of the global climate crisis.

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We must work harder and faster to maintain a
livable planet for this and future...

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If we fail to act now in this decade with
urgency,

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we will see a climate crisis on a scale that
is unimaginable.

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But there is hope that we can overcome the
challenges that we face through collective...

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global solidarity, and with political will.

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I want to take this opportunity to wish the
UAE and its leadership all the very best f...

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We are counting on COP 28 to give us this
bright light.

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We know that we can count on the UAE for the
best COP ever.

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I thank you.