In August 2017, The World Bank issued its first Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD) on the Seychelles, Africa’s only high-income economy. Its findings will inform the Bank’s operational work in the country and contribute to its public debate on the new, national development planning process.

The Seychelles SCD identifies the most pressing constraints to inclusive, sustained growth in the islands and pilots a new reporting format — a slide deck summary supported by additional information in six topical notes, with annexes (data diagnostic, summary of consultations, and sources).

 

As a successful, high-income island state, the country now seeks to accelerate and secure the sustainability of its development progress to date, and to address disparities in incomes and opportunities. The SCD examines Seychelles’ economic growth characteristics, the characteristics of poverty and income distribution (inclusion), and the risks to environmental, social and macroeconomic sustainability. It sorts the 13 constraints identified into five top priorities, five additional priorities, and a further three areas which should be considered for priority action, subject to confirmation from additional analysis (‘likely priorities’).

In 2016-17, Coles Development Consulting implemented the fieldwork, analysis, consultation and feedback processes that informed the tourism sector component of the SCD, also examining linkages with agriculture, fisheries, transport and retail sectors. The findings are reflected in this SDC report.