The Government of Seychelles has signed an US$8.7 million grant agreement with the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) to advance the country’s Social Housing Programme, reinforcing bilateral cooperation aimed at addressing housing needs for low-income households.
The agreement was signed on the margins of the World Governments Summit in Dubai by Seychelles’ Minister for Finance, Economic Planning, Trade and Investment, Pierre Laporte, and the Director General of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Mohammed Saif Al-Suwaidi.
The grant is intended to support inclusive economic and social development by strengthening Seychelles’ social housing sector, improving living standards, addressing rising housing demand, and promoting balanced urban development and population distribution.
Under the project, 80 housing units will be constructed for low-income families at Orchid Village. The development will comprise 32 two-room units and 48 three-room units, all equipped with essential facilities and infrastructure services.
The housing units will be spread across 10 residential blocks, each containing eight units, located on adjacent sites within the Orchid Village area. Project works will include civil construction, connections to electricity, water and sewage networks, and the development of outdoor and communal spaces to ensure a safe, functional and sustainable living environment.
The initiative reflects the United Arab Emirates’ continued support for Seychelles’ development priorities, particularly in the area of affordable housing and social welfare.
Also present at the signing ceremony were Seychelles’ Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Barry Faure; Seychelles’ Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Gervais Moumou; and the UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Seychelles, Ahmed Saeed Rashed Alhumaid Alneyad.
Following the signing, President Patrick Herminie met with Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan to review Seychelles’ participation in the World Governments Summit and discuss the status of ongoing development cooperation and economic initiatives between the two countries.
