Italian Red Cross Delegation Backs Seychelles in Boosting Disaster Resilience
Seychelles is stepping up its game in disaster preparedness—and it’s getting a helping hand from Italy.
A high-level delegation from the Italian Red Cross, featuring Dr. Eleonora Branca from the University of Verona and Mr. Giovanni Zamboo, Field Coordinator for East Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands, is in the country this week to support a regional initiative aimed at sharpening Seychelles’ disaster response systems.
The visit is part of a broader regional programme that will also include Madagascar, Comoros, and Mauritius, with the Italian Red Cross deploying disaster law specialists and seasoned field managers to help strengthen coordination and preparedness across the Indian Ocean.
“This initiative focuses on revising international disaster law, specifically addressing the revisions of disaster laws, data sharing, and coordination within Seychelles,” said Mr. Zamboo. “The programme also aims to enhance cooperation between the Italian Red Cross, the Red Cross Society of Seychelles (RCSS), and the wider Red Cross and Red Crescent movement.”
At the heart of this collaboration is the pressing need to build a centralised disaster data system and a fully integrated early warning system by 2027—goals the Government says are now firmly within reach.
Minister for Environment Flavien Joubert, who met with the visiting delegation, underscored the importance of these efforts.
“It is important that we have this conversation, as their work directly contributes to the success of our national disaster preparedness programme,” he said. “By 2027, we intend to have a fully integrated early warning system that will allow us to collect, analyse, and relay critical information to the public—especially in the face of extreme weather events like heavy rainfall.”
He also highlighted a new early warning project, developed under the guidance of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and recently presented to Cabinet. The project involves coordinated efforts from the Disaster Risk Management Division (DRMD), the Meteorological Office, the Department of Information Communications Technology (DICT), and RCSS.
With rising climate risks threatening island nations like Seychelles, this partnership brings welcome momentum—and technical expertise—towards building a future that’s not only safer, but smarter.
