Seychelles launches new project to strengthen disaster response systems

The TIAEWS project is designed to create a robust, locally grounded system based on data and information management, improved governance, and communication & outreach.

July 5, 2025

On Friday 4^th July 2025, the Government of Seychelles, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), officially launched the Tailored Integrated Approach for Early Warning Systems (TIAEWS SYC) project to enhance the country’s disaster preparedness and response.

A symbolic signing ceremony marked the launch, with the Minister for Internal Affairs, Mr Errol Fonseka, the Chinese Ambassador to Seychelles, H.E. Lin Nan, and the Resident Representative for Mauritius Seychelles, Ms Amanda Serumaga, formally endorsing the project.

The event was attended by several senior officials, including the Minister for Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment; the Principal Secretary for Environment; and the CEO of Disaster Risk Management Division (DRMD) and other partners in disaster management.

Why early warning systems matter for Seychelles

As a small island state facing the direct impacts of climate change, Seychelles is highly vulnerable to natural disasters. Severe weather events trigger disasters that pose great threats to communities, infrastructure and livelihoods. In December 2023, heavy rains triggered landslides and flash floods across Mahe, severely affecting communities and underscoring the urgent need for better early warning systems.

“This project comes at a crucial time,” Minister Fonseka said. “As a small island state facing increasing threats from floods, landslides, coastal erosion and other climate-induced hazard,

Group of officials seated at a table, signing documents with flags in front.

Three flags displayed on a table: China, Seychelles, and UNDP against a blurred background.

A man in a suit signs documents at a table, with a national flag and colleagues in the background.

A woman in a beige blazer speaks at a table with microphones, flanked by seated men in formal attire.

A woman in a patterned dress signs documents at a table, with colleagues in the background.

A project anchored in three core pillars

The TIAEWS SYC project is designed to create a robust, locally grounded system based on three core pillars:

Data and Information Management - Leveraging advanced technology to deliver accurate, real-time, and accessible information to communities across the islands.
Improved Governance and Action - Strengthening institutional capacity, coordination, and protocols to ensure timely and effective disaster response.
Last-Mile Communication and Community Outreach - Engaging and empowering communities through targeted campaigns, local-language messaging, and inclusive risk education.

A transformative vision backed by partnership

The UNDP Resident Representative emphasised the project’s transformative potential. “The ability to harness digital technologies to shape how we prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters is enabling us to move beyond reactive approaches and to embrace predictive data-driven and inclusive systems that can save lives and resources,” Ms. Serumaga said.

Ambassador Lin Nan, praised the project as model for other countries, highlighting how it represents a more scientific and efficient approach to climate forecasting and disaster preparedness.

The project will be implemented through the Disaster Risk Management Division (DRMD), under the Ministry of Internal Affairs.