Seychelles has undergone remarkable economic and institutional development over the past five decades, evolving from a small island state into one of Africa’s increasingly recognized investment destinations, according to Anne Rosette, CEO of the Seychelles Investment Board (SIB). In this exclusive interview, Rosette outlines the country’s investment priorities, the reforms being introduced to make doing business easier, and the opportunities emerging across the blue economy, renewable energy, digital transformation, financial services, tourism, and aquaculture.
From Small Island State to Investment Destination
As Seychelles looks back on five decades of national development, Rosette describes a country that has transformed significantly in terms of its regulatory environment, policies, stability, and human capital.
“Seychelles has made remarkable development as a country over the last 50 years,” she says, describing its evolution from a small island state into a country increasingly recognized for its regulatory environment, policy framework, stability, and welcoming approach toward investors.
That development has also shaped the country’s approach to attracting foreign investment. Rather than opening every sector indiscriminately, Seychelles is increasingly seeking investment that aligns with its broader national development objectives.
Rosette says the investment opportunities being promoted are aligned with the country’s national development plan, with particular attention being given to the blue economy, renewable energy, digital transformation, financial services, and the development of human capital.
The strategy reflects a broader recognition that Seychelles must continue to transform alongside the global economy.
“As the world transforms, obviously, we have to transform as well,” Rosette says.
Making the Investor Journey Easier
One of the key priorities for Seychelles is making the process of investing and doing business more efficient.
Rosette acknowledges that administrative procedures and interactions with government can create barriers for investors, and says the country is working to reduce those burdens through digitalization and institutional reform.
The government has launched an e-government portal bringing a range of public services together, allowing investors and businesses to interact with government while facing fewer administrative obstacles.
There has also been work to streamline licensing and business registration processes, making them less stringent and less burdensome for businesses seeking to establish themselves in Seychelles.
For Rosette, this transformation is ultimately about making Seychelles more responsive to the needs of investors.
A New Investment Portal
The Seychelles Investment Board itself is undergoing a similar transformation.
Rosette says the SIB is putting in place an investment portal designed to facilitate the investor journey, particularly once projects have been submitted for government approval or referred to the relevant agencies.
The objective is to create a more coordinated process in which investors can navigate the different stages of their projects more efficiently.
The initiative forms part of a wider effort by the Investment Board to improve the way it delivers services, with faster responses and greater transparency becoming increasingly important as Seychelles competes for international investment.
Rosette also emphasizes that technology is only one part of the equation. Developing the capabilities of the people working within the institution remains equally important.
The SIB has therefore continued investing in training and professional development for its team, with the aim of improving both the quality of its services and its ability to engage directly with investors.
By the end of the year, she expects these initiatives to bring the Investment Board significantly closer to investors and their needs.
Sustainable Tourism and Economic Value Addition
Tourism remains one of Seychelles’ strongest economic sectors. But Rosette says the country is increasingly focused on making tourism more sustainable while creating greater value from the services it provides.
The objective is not simply to grow visitor numbers, but to improve the quality and value of the tourism offering.
Seychelles is also looking at how digitalization can support this transformation, including through easier interactions between businesses and government.
At the same time, Rosette points to the development of fintech and new financial services products as another area that can support the country’s economic transformation.
The combination of digital government, financial innovation, and value-added services is intended to create an investment environment that is better adapted to the changing global economy.
Aquaculture and the Sustainable Use of Resources
Aquaculture is another emerging opportunity identified by the Seychelles Investment Board.
Rosette says the country is looking for projects that can contribute to the development of the sector while ensuring that Seychelles’ natural resources remain protected.
This balance between investment and conservation is central to the country’s broader development strategy. Seychelles’ natural environment is one of its most important economic assets, meaning that new activities must be developed in a way that protects the resources on which future growth depends.
For investors, the opportunity therefore lies in developing new economic activities while contributing to the sustainable management of the country’s marine resources.
A Safe and Well-Regulated Investment Environment
Rosette also highlights Seychelles’ broader value proposition as an investment destination.
Strategic location, stability, safety, and a strong legal and regulatory environment are among the characteristics she believes provide investors with confidence.
“It is a country where it’s strategically located. It’s a safe country, the investment is safe” Anne Rosette, CEO of the Seychelles Investment Board
That sense of security, she adds, extends beyond the investment itself. Seychelles also offers a safe environment for investors and their families who choose to live or spend time in the country.
Alongside this, Rosette points to the established legal and regulatory policies supporting the investor journey.
For Seychelles, maintaining that framework while continuing to modernize it is critical. The country wants to make investment easier without compromising the standards and structures that provide confidence to businesses.
Financial Services: Reforming While Maintaining Robust Regulation
Financial services are another area where Seychelles is preparing for further development.
Rosette says the sector has continued to evolve alongside international trends, creating a need for reforms that allow the country to remain competitive.
At the same time, she stresses that modernization should not come at the expense of regulatory strength.
“We still want to maintain the robust regulatory framework that supports the development of the financial sector,” she explains.
One of the newer areas attracting attention is virtual assets, where the financial services regulator has been actively developing its approach while maintaining safeguards within the regulatory system.
Capital markets and the strengthening of the investment funds framework also represent potential areas for further development.
For Seychelles, the objective is therefore to create new financial products and opportunities while preserving the regulatory credibility that supports the sector.
Targeting Investment Through the Investor Map
Rather than simply encouraging investment across the board, the Seychelles Investment Board is taking a more targeted approach to identifying the types of projects the country needs.
Rosette explains that the Board has developed an Investor Map designed to give investors a clear understanding of where Seychelles wants to see investment.
The approach is intended to move beyond scattered expressions of interest and toward a more structured investment strategy aligned with national priorities.
“It’s not really expressions of interest right, left and center but really a structured approach in what the country needs,” she says.
The Investor Map provides a guide for potential investors and is complemented by an investment guide offering a broader overview of Seychelles, including its economic outlook, regulatory environment, available services, and other information relevant to investors.
Together, these tools are designed to make it easier for investors to understand both the opportunities and the requirements involved in establishing projects in Seychelles.
Seychelles Is Open for Investment
Rosette’s message to international investors is ultimately one of alignment.
“I think the message is simple: we want what they want and they want what we have,” she says.
For a small country with limited resources, she argues that Seychelles needs to be highly targeted about the investment it seeks to attract. The priority is to identify projects that fit national development objectives while remaining open to investors capable of bringing those opportunities to the country.
“If the investor has it, we’re not going to say no,” she says, provided projects receive the appropriate support and follow Seychelles’ regulations and processes.
Her message is clear: Seychelles is open to investment, but it is increasingly focused on attracting the right investment.
“We are open for investment. That’s what we preach every day at this entity.”
The Investment Board is also working with other government institutions to reinforce this message and ensure that investors encounter a coordinated, supportive environment across the public sector.
The Blue Bond and Seychelles’ Blue Economy Leadership
Seychelles’ commitment to the blue economy is also reflected in its innovative approach to financing marine resources.
Rosette points to the country’s pioneering development of a sovereign blue bond in 2019, which created an investment vehicle connected to marine resources and the fisheries sector.
The initiative forms part of a broader effort to demonstrate how financial innovation can support sustainable use of the ocean while creating opportunities for investors.
For Seychelles, the blue economy is therefore not simply about fisheries or marine activity. It also represents an intersection between environmental protection, investment, financial innovation, and long-term economic development.
That approach is consistent with the Investment Board’s wider strategy of targeting investment toward sectors that can support Seychelles’ transformation while protecting the resources that underpin its economy.
Positioning Seychelles for Its Next Chapter
Anne Rosette’s vision for Seychelles’ investment future is ultimately built around transformation: making government easier to navigate, strengthening the investment ecosystem, embracing new technologies, and directing capital toward sectors that align with national priorities.
From renewable energy and digital transformation to fintech, sustainable tourism, aquaculture, financial services, and the wider blue economy, Seychelles is seeking to broaden the foundations of its economy while maintaining the stability and regulatory credibility that have supported its development.
The country’s investment proposition is therefore increasingly defined not only by what Seychelles has already achieved, but by its willingness to adapt to what comes next.
For Rosette, the message to investors is straightforward: Seychelles has opportunities, it has the institutional framework to support investment, and it is working to make the investor journey more efficient.
With targeted investment, continued reform, and a focus on sustainable development, Seychelles is positioning itself for a new phase of economic growth, one in which investment supports both national priorities and the long-term prosperity of its people.
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