Seychelles’ president-elect, Patrick Herminie, has announced that once he is sworn into office on October 26, he will stop the construction of a controversial luxury resort on Assumption Island that is being funded by Qatar.
Herminie said the existing agreement was “unacceptable,” noting that Seychelles had received “peanuts” from the deal.
Through a Middle East investment company, Assets Group, the Qataris are building 40 luxury villas on Assumption Island, located about 1,140km (700 miles) south-west of Seychelles’ main island, Mahé.
The project also includes upgrading the island’s concrete airstrip to accommodate executive jets.
The development has been a major political issue, dominating last month’s presidential election campaign.
Herminie defeated incumbent Wavel Ramkalawan in a second-round run-off with 52.7% of the vote.
While Ramkalawan defended the project, arguing that the small island nation needed foreign investment, the deal grants the Qatari investors a 70-year lease of the island in exchange for a $20 million (£15 million) down payment.
Herminie has stated that once in office, his government will suspend the project and meet with the investors to convey its concerns.
The island serves as the gateway to the Aldabra Atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site celebrated for its pristine environment and unique biodiversity, hosting around 400 species found nowhere else on Earth.
BBC