Why Seychelles Must Rethink Its Foreign Policy for a New Global Reality.

There are moments in the life of a nation when silence becomes a liability. When the old patterns of diplomacy begin to feel like a comfortable habit rather than a strategic choice. When the world shifts so dramatically that a small country must decide whether it will adjust with confidence or be swept along by the ambitions of others. Seychelles is standing at that threshold today. Our foreign policy, shaped over decades of relative predictability, now sits in a global environment that no longer resembles the one that produced it.

For much of our modern history, Seychelles has relied on a doctrine of polite neutrality. We have sought cooperation without entanglement, friendship without confrontation, and international visibility without strategic risk. This approach served us well in a world where power was relatively stable, where small states could navigate between larger blocs without attracting too much attention. But the global landscape has changed. Power is now dispersed, contested, and often unpredictable. The alliances that once appeared permanent are now strained. The geography of influence has expanded into the Indian Ocean in ways we could not have imagined two decades ago. And the assumption that the smallest countries can remain untouched is no longer realistic.

It is not that Seychelles is overlooked. In fact, the opposite is true. Our location has made us increasingly central to maritime security, global shipping routes, and the interests of major powers. Our natural environment has placed us at the heart of climate diplomacy. Our reputation as a politically stable island state has created demand for partnerships, investments, and strategic access. Yet for all our visibility, we have not always demonstrated the assertiveness required to shape these opportunities in a way that truly benefits our long-term national interests.

Diplomacy is often misunderstood as the art of being polite. But true diplomacy is the strategic defense of a country’s sovereignty, prosperity, and future. It is the ability to navigate complexity with clarity, to engage with global power without losing sight of national identity, and to project both confidence and restraint. For a small country, diplomacy is not a luxury. It is our most vital instrument of statecraft. And in this new era, it must evolve.

One of the pressures forcing this evolution is the intensifying competition within the Indian Ocean. Countries with vastly greater resources are seeking influence, access, and presence. Their interests often overlap, sometimes collide, and occasionally bypass smaller states entirely. The Indian Ocean has become a corridor of energy, commerce, and geopolitical tension. Seychelles sits in the middle of this corridor. Yet we do not always act like a country aware of the leverage that comes with such positioning.

There is a subtle danger in assuming that everyone who engages with us does so with purely benevolent intentions. Partnerships are essential, but partnerships also come with expectations. Strategic friendships require strategic clarity. A small nation that does not articulate its own interests risks allowing others to define them on its behalf. The world respects Seychelles, but respect must be matched with strategic maturity. If we do not take ownership of our diplomatic narrative, others will write it for us.

Another force reshaping the global environment is the transformation of the African continent. Africa is no longer perceived as a region awaiting development. It is increasingly seen as a rising center of influence, innovation, and economic potential. Yet Seychelles still treats its African identity with an almost hesitant distance, as if belonging to the continent is a technicality rather than an opportunity. This mindset blinds us to the fact that Africa is forming new diplomatic, economic, and security alliances that will shape the next fifty years. A modern foreign policy requires that we understand Africa not as a place we occasionally reference, but as a strategic environment we must help shape.

At the same time, our relationships with Europe, Asia, and the Middle East are undergoing their own transformations. Europe is struggling with internal fragmentation. Asia is emerging as an engine of global growth. The Middle East is refashioning itself with ambitious investment agendas. The gravitational center of global economic power is shifting, and Seychelles must decide where it positions itself within this new arrangement. We cannot afford to cling to static alliances when the world has already moved on. Nor can we afford to base our foreign policy on old hierarchies that no longer hold.

Perhaps the most important factor, however, is the rising complexity of global diplomacy itself. Issues that once belonged to specialists now define the entire international agenda. Digital governance, climate resilience, cyber security, food security, maritime surveillance, renewable energy, and global finance are no longer isolated sectors. They are core pillars of foreign policy. Countries that fail to adapt will find themselves perpetually catching up. Seychelles cannot rely on traditional diplomacy alone. We need a foreign policy ecosystem that understands technology, anticipates risk, and cultivates partnerships not only with states but with global institutions, innovators, and sectors that will dominate the future.

This transformation must also occur within our own diplomatic culture. For too long, foreign policy in Seychelles has been treated as the domain of a small, familiar circle. Decisions are often shaped by personal networks rather than national vision. Fresh perspectives are treated with caution. Innovation is mistaken for disruption. But a country cannot modernize if it only recycles the same voices. Seychelles needs a foreign policy that draws from a broader pool of expertise, one that includes younger Seychellois, private industry, academics, and professionals across sectors. Our diplomacy must represent the entire nation, not only its political class.

What I have learned from years of living between Seychelles and Europe is that small countries can be powerful precisely because they are small. They can adapt faster, negotiate more creatively, and build international respect by being consistent, principled, and forward-looking. Iceland, Estonia, Singapore, and Malta have shown how strategic clarity can elevate even the smallest nations into global influencers. Seychelles can join that category, but only if we are honest about the limits of our current approach and ambitious about the direction we must take.

Rethinking foreign policy is not an act of criticism. It is an act of self-preservation. It is also an act of nation-building. A modern Seychelles cannot be passive. It must be intentional. It must articulate its interests clearly. It must defend its sovereignty intelligently. And it must cultivate alliances that strengthen us not only today but for generations to come.

We must rethink how we present ourselves to the world. We must refine how we negotiate. We must elevate the intellectual depth of our diplomacy. And we must position Seychelles not as a country drifting in the currents of global change, but as one capable of steering its own course through them.

This is not only the responsibility of government. It is the responsibility of all of us who care about the future of this country. Our foreign policy cannot remain an internal conversation among officials. It must reflect the aspirations, anxieties, and ambitions of the Seychellois people. A foreign policy that is detached from its own population is a foreign policy without legitimacy.

Seychelles has always been a country of potential. What we need now is the courage to redefine our place in the world with clarity and confidence. The global reality has changed. The challenge before us is to ensure that Seychelles does not simply react to that reality but learns to shape it.

My Final Thoughts

I believe that Seychelles is entering a moment of both risk and opportunity. The world is changing faster than at any point in our lifetime. Power is shifting. Ideas are competing. Coalitions are forming and dissolving. And the smallest nations often feel the impact first. But small nations also have the most to gain when they approach diplomacy with intelligence and vision.

If we rethink our foreign policy now, with seriousness and strategic ambition, Seychelles can position itself as a respected voice in international affairs. If we hesitate, we will find ourselves navigating a world shaped by others. The choice before us is not simply about foreign relations. It is about national identity, sovereignty, and the legacy we leave for the next generation.

Seychelles is ready for a foreign policy worthy of its potential. Now we must summon the will to create it.