Seychelles supports Palestine
On Monday Seychelles voted at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) meeting to admit Palestine to the organization full membership. Seychelles was one of 107 nations which voted yes.
14 countries, including Australia, Germany, United States of America and Israel voted against. Another 52 countries abstained. The vote brought the number of UNESCO’s Member States to 195. Seychelles and Mauritius were the two Indian Ocean islands which voted yes. Madagascar, Comoros and Maldives did not participate in the election, which may have lost their rights to vote because their membership fees may have not been paid.
The vote has since led the United States to pull its 22 percent annual contribution to UNESCO’s $70 million budget. Israel’s which contributed around 3 percent and Canada also have a threatened to withhold its funding.
The voting made UNESCO the first UN agency accepting the Palestinian National Authority as a full member since Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas applied for formal UN membership at the UN General Assembly on September 23rd.
The UN Security Council has decided to discuss the matter in this month. By choosing to vote in favour to admit Palestine to UNESCO’s full membership, Seychelles has avoided being considered a semi-puppet or a potential puppet of USA and showing closer ties with the Islamic world, comments a former diplomat.
Le Seychellois Hebdo contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affaires as to why Seychelles voted in favour of the admittance of Palestine to the UNESCO. However, at the time of going to press the Ministry had fail to give us an official explanation.
The Seychelles delegation at the 36thsession of the UNESCO General Conference in Paris is being headed by Minister MacSuzie Mondon.
The delegation also includes Mrs. Marie-Reine Hoareau, Secretary-General of the Seychelles National Commission for UNESCO, and Ms. Michelle Murray, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The UNESCO 26th General Conference, opened in Paris on October 25th and will last till November 10th.
Source: Le Seychellois Hebdo 11-4-11