Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted Wavel Ramkalawan on Sunday following his victory in the presidential elections in Seychelles and said India hopes to strengthen the long-standing relationship between the two countries. The Prime Minister also congratulated the people of Seychelles for holding free, fair and peaceful elections.
“Congratulations to SE @wavelramkalawan for his historic victory in the Presidential and Assembly elections in Seychelles. We look forward to strengthening the close and traditional relationship between India and Seychelles under his leadership, ”Modi tweeted. “This is a victory for democracy, a common value that unites India and Seychelles,” he wrote.
The opposition has seized power in the Seychelles for the first time since 1977 with incumbent President Danny Faure getting 43 percent of the vote against Wavel Ramkalawn’s 54 percent. The campaign for the elections was carried out mainly through social networks, as large concentrations were banned due to Covid-19. The pandemic was a major issue in the elections as it has affected the country’s tourism-based economy.
“In this election, there are no losers, there are no winners, our country had a chance to be the final winner,” Ramkalawan said after winning the presidential election on his seventh attempt.
The archipelago gained independence from British rule in 1976 and the following year Danny Faure’s United Party took power in a coup. In 1993, multiparty democracy was restored, but the United Party still remained in power. Faure became president just four years ago in 2016.
Voter turnout was approximately 75 percent in the nation of just under 100,000 people. The new president is expected to be sworn in on October 26.
In June 2018, Prime Minister Modi announced that India was providing a $ 100 million loan to Seychelles for the development of its defense capabilities. Seychelles and India have worked closely in defense cooperation, as the island nation is India’s ally in the Indian Ocean.
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