Good morning and a warm Seychelles welcome to all of you.It is a great honour for Seychelles to host the 69th Meeting of the UN Tourism Commission for Africa and this important Thematic Conference on Strengthening Human Capital to Boost Africa’s Tourism Growth.Allow me to express my appreciation to the Secretary-General of UN Tourism, Ms. Shaika Al Nuwais, for her leadership and vision. Under her mandate, we gather around a central priority; capacity building and human capital development. This reflects a simple but enduring truth: tourism is, above all, a people business.In Seychelles, we understand this well.Tourism is more than a sector of our economy—it is our lifeline. It supports our families, businesses and communities, with almost every Seychellois household connected to its success.That is why our Government has placed people at the centre of development.Over the years, Seychelles has made significant investments in developing tourism talent. We have strengthened the Seychelles Tourism Academy, expanded hospitality and tourism education, introduced tourism clubs in schools, created opportunities for professional development and built pathways for young people to see tourism as a rewarding and respected career.We have also partnered with industry to provide practical training, management programmes and continuous learning opportunities, because we know that a competitive tourism industry requires skilled, confident and motivated workforce.Yet, we recognize that more remains to be done.Across Africa, we face similar challenges. We need more skilled workers. We need stronger institutions. We need to inspire young people to see tourism as a profession where they can build successful futures.Most importantly, we need to ensure that tourism benefits our people.When tourism puts people first, communities and families prosper.When tourism puts people first, jobs become careers.When tourism puts people first, economic growth becomes more inclusive and more sustainable.That is why this conference is so important.Africa possesses extraordinary natural beauty, cultural richness and human potential. We have the youngest population in the world, innovative entrepreneurs, dynamic communities, and a tourism story still being written.Yet this is also a moment of opportunity.We can do more to ensure that Africa is not only a destination of great experiences, but also a continent defined by excellence in tourism education, training and service.Seychelles stands ready to play its part.As a proud African nation, Seychelles remains committed to strengthening regional cooperation, sharing our experiences, learning from one another, and advancing Africa's tourism agenda.The future of African tourism will not be defined solely by the number of hotels we build or visitors we welcome. It will be defined by the people we empower.Your Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,As we begin our discussions over the coming days, let us remember that tourism is ultimately about improving lives.I wish you productive deliberations and fruitful exchanges.And while you are here, I encourage you to experience the beauty of our islands, make time to visit our other islands, such as Praslin and La Digue, engage with our people, learn from our journey, and allow us also to learn from yours.Together, let us build a stronger African tourism sector—one that puts people first and leaves no one behind.Thank you. Mersi bokou.May God bless you all, and may God bless Africa.

Good morning and a warm Seychelles welcome to all of you.

It is a great honour for Seychelles to host the 69th Meeting of the UN Tourism Commission for Africa and this important Thematic Conference on Strengthening Human Capital to Boost Africa’s Tourism Growth.

Allow me to express my appreciation to the Secretary-General of UN Tourism, Ms. Shaika Al Nuwais, for her leadership and vision. Under her mandate, we gather around a central priority; capacity building and human capital development. This reflects a simple but enduring truth: tourism is, above all, a people business.

In Seychelles, we understand this well.

Tourism is more than a sector of our economy—it is our lifeline. It supports our families, businesses and communities, with almost every Seychellois household connected to its success.

That is why our Government has placed people at the centre of development.

Over the years, Seychelles has made significant investments in developing tourism talent. We have strengthened the Seychelles Tourism Academy, expanded hospitality and tourism education, introduced tourism clubs in schools, created opportunities for professional development and built pathways for young people to see tourism as a rewarding and respected career.

We have also partnered with industry to provide practical training, management programmes and continuous learning opportunities, because we know that a competitive tourism industry requires skilled, confident and motivated workforce.

Yet, we recognize that more remains to be done.

Across Africa, we face similar challenges. We need more skilled workers. We need stronger institutions. We need to inspire young people to see tourism as a profession where they can build successful futures.

Most importantly, we need to ensure that tourism benefits our people.

When tourism puts people first, communities and families prosper.

When tourism puts people first, jobs become careers.

When tourism puts people first, economic growth becomes more inclusive and more sustainable.

That is why this conference is so important.

Africa possesses extraordinary natural beauty, cultural richness and human potential. We have the youngest population in the world, innovative entrepreneurs, dynamic communities, and a tourism story still being written.

Yet this is also a moment of opportunity.

We can do more to ensure that Africa is not only a destination of great experiences, but also a continent defined by excellence in tourism education, training and service.

Seychelles stands ready to play its part.

As a proud African nation, Seychelles remains committed to strengthening regional cooperation, sharing our experiences, learning from one another, and advancing Africa's tourism agenda.

The future of African tourism will not be defined solely by the number of hotels we build or visitors we welcome. It will be defined by the people we empower.

Your Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we begin our discussions over the coming days, let us remember that tourism is ultimately about improving lives.

I wish you productive deliberations and fruitful exchanges.

And while you are here, I encourage you to experience the beauty of our islands, make time to visit our other islands, such as Praslin and La Digue, engage with our people, learn from our journey, and allow us also to learn from yours.

Together, let us build a stronger African tourism sector—one that puts people first and leaves no one behind.

May God bless you all, and may God bless Africa.