The President of Seychelles, Danny Faure, held his second live press conference of 2018 on Monday evening, the sixth of his presidency at State House, Victoria. SNA brings an overview of the issues discussed.

Faure said the issue of a military base on Assumption island that would also be used by India will not be discussed with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his state visit to India later this month. Faure said that the Assumption project will not move forward.

“In next year’s budget, we will put funds for us to build a coastguard facility on Assumption ourselves. It is important for us to ensure that we have a military post in this area,” he said.

Since Seychelles and India signed an agreement earlier this year to build military facilities on the remote island of Assumption, the project quickly became controversial, with the government supporting the plan but opposition members in the National Assembly and many private citizens against it.