Salim Mathieu: Why the Seychellois Diaspora Is One of Our Most Undervalued National Assets

Every country has a story that extends beyond its borders, a narrative carried in the memories, ambitions, and achievements of its people scattered across the world. For Seychelles, this external chapter has grown quietly, often unacknowledged, yet it represents one of our most powerful and least explored national strengths. The Seychellois diaspora, spread across continents from Europe to the Middle East and from Africa to Australia, holds a reservoir of knowledge, networks, capital, and global experience that remains largely untapped. At a time when small nations must think creatively to compete, the relationship between Seychelles and its diaspora has become too important to treat as a footnote.

I have spent years moving between Seychelles and Europe, particularly Scandinavia and Germany, and I have seen firsthand what Seychellois abroad carry with them. There is a kind of dual vision that emerges in people who have lived in different cultural, economic, and political environments. They develop a sharper sense of what is possible. They learn how modern societies innovate, how successful institutions operate, and how global markets evolve. They also learn to view their home country with a mixture of loyalty and clarity, able to appreciate what we do well while understanding exactly where we are falling short. This perspective is one of the most valuable assets any country could possess, especially a small island nation navigating a rapidly changing world.

Yet Seychelles has not fully embraced this advantage. We tend to speak of the diaspora in emotional terms, celebrating their attachment to home while ignoring the strategic potential of their presence abroad. We imagine them as visitors returning for family holidays or as expatriates who once belonged but now live elsewhere. We seldom see them as partners in nation building, as contributors to national innovation, or as ambassadors carrying the image and interests of Seychelles into global spaces.

This limited view blinds us to the simple truth that the diaspora is not an extension of the past. It is an extension of our future.

The global economy is increasingly defined by mobility and knowledge networks. Countries are no longer limited by the size of their population or the boundaries of their geography. Nations like Ireland, Israel, Singapore, Estonia, and Rwanda have turned their diasporas into engines of growth, sources of investment, political influence, and global connectivity. Meanwhile, Seychelles continues to underestimate the potential of its own people living abroad, even as many of them excel in industries we urgently need to develop at home. There are Seychellois in finance, technology, aviation, medicine, academia, the arts, and diplomacy. There are Seychellois leading companies, studying at top universities, and navigating global markets that shape the world economy. And there are Seychellois building families and identities in places that, intentionally or not, make them natural bridges between Seychelles and the wider world.

Ignoring this collective strength is not only a strategic oversight but also a missed opportunity for transformation.

Part of the challenge lies in our own national mindset. Seychelles has long been accustomed to thinking of itself as a small country with limited human resources. This belief has shaped our policies, our education system, and even our ambitions. But the moment we recognize that our human resources extend far beyond the islands, the entire equation changes. Suddenly we are no longer a nation of ninety thousand people. We become a nation with a global footprint, a country with citizens and descendants spread across multiple continents, carrying experiences that could help modernize every sector of our economy.

This diaspora is not a distant community. They are part of our national story, and many of them maintain strong emotional and cultural ties to Seychelles. They follow our politics, invest in local businesses, support their families, share our culture abroad, and carry our flag in places where it might never otherwise be seen. They often want to contribute more, but the pathways for doing so are either unclear or nonexistent. Our institutions have not yet learned how to engage diaspora expertise in a structured way. Our private sector has not fully explored global partnerships driven by Seychellois connections abroad. And our public policy has not yet prioritized the creation of networks that link the diaspora to national development.

What I have observed in Europe, especially in places like Denmark and Germany, is that diaspora engagement is not a sentimental exercise. It is a strategy. It is about building a global ecosystem where citizens abroad amplify national interests, attract opportunities, and help their home country grow in influence and competitiveness. This is precisely what Seychelles needs. If we are serious about diversifying our economy, we cannot rely solely on domestic capacity. If we want to strengthen our international diplomacy, we must draw on the global presence of our people. If we want to innovate, we need both internal talent and external knowledge working in harmony. And if we want a modern national identity that is confident and outward facing, we must include the diaspora in the definition of who we are.

There is also an emotional dimension to consider, one that is often overlooked. Many members of the diaspora carry a deep, sometimes painful desire to remain connected to Seychelles, yet they feel forgotten. They feel that their success abroad is viewed with suspicion or distant admiration rather than with genuine interest or collaboration. They are proud of their heritage, but they do not always see evidence that Seychelles is equally proud of them. This emotional distance becomes a political and economic loss. A country cannot benefit from a diaspora it does not embrace.

In my work with Seychelles in Sweden and in building networks across Europe, I have seen how quickly things change when the diaspora feels recognized. Suddenly people want to participate. They want to invest. They want to mentor young Seychellois. They want to bring international opportunities home. What they need is not persuasion but a structured invitation. What they seek is respect. And what they can offer is much greater than what we currently imagine.

The future of Seychelles will depend on our ability to see ourselves as more than an island state. We must see ourselves as a global nation with a global community. The world is becoming more interconnected, and countries that fail to tap into their extended networks will find themselves isolated. Seychelles cannot afford such isolation. We must build a national strategy that integrates our diaspora into every aspect of development, from education and entrepreneurship to diplomacy and cultural influence.

The diaspora is not a remote population. It is a global extension of Seychelles itself. It is a source of resilience, knowledge, and opportunity. And if we choose to recognize its value, it can become one of the most powerful forces shaping our future.

My Final Thoughts

I believe that the Seychellois diaspora represents one of the greatest strengths our nation possesses. Not because of nostalgia or tradition, but because they carry within them the skills and perspectives that Seychelles will need in order to thrive in the decades ahead. They are part of our identity, part of our influence, and part of our future. The question before us is whether we will choose to bring them into our national strategy or allow this immense resource to remain underutilized.

A modern and confident Seychelles must cultivate its global connections through its own people. If we build those bridges now, we will see benefits that extend far beyond economics. We will strengthen our culture, expand our diplomacy, and create a more dynamic and resilient nation.

The diaspora is already ready to contribute. What remains is the willingness of the nation to open the door.