AGP Executive Report

Banking Access: Bank of Ceylon (BOC) says it has reached every one of Sri Lanka’s 331 Divisional Secretariat Divisions, opening a BOC Connect Agency Banking Centre at Welipitiya Post Office to bring tech-enabled services to areas that previously had none. Public Health Tech: Seychelles and Eritrea have adopted Abbott’s WHO prequalified Determine ANC Panel, enabling one-visit, finger-prick screening for 4th generation HIV plus syphilis and hepatitis B to support triple elimination goals. Tourism & Digital Transformation: Seychelles endorsed UN Tourism’s Management Vision 2026–2029, with priorities including stronger institutions, collaboration, capacity building, sustainability, connectivity, and digital transformation. AI in Browsers: Google is rolling out Ask Gemini in Chrome to Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa—and includes Seychelles—bringing built-in AI search and help to more African users. Ocean Conservation & Science: World Oceans Day coverage highlights coral restoration using advanced imaging tech (with partners including Nature Seychelles) and points to Seychelles’ role in broader ocean protection efforts. Crypto & Exchange Rules: A Seychelles Supreme Court ruling targets KuCoin over customer token handling after delisting, with the court ordering payments tied to a delisted CoinPoker token dispute. Education Skills: Dubai’s Digital School expanded teacher training in Seychelles, aiming to boost digital skills across 11 schools. Local Nature Story: Curieuse Island’s giant tortoises are spotlighted as a conservation success, linked to translocation efforts that helped build a resilient population. Crypto Markets (Seychelles-linked): BitMart says its SpaceX-linked bSPCX tokenized fund interest drew 37,000+ participants and is now tradable after liquidity conditions.

AI & Consumer Tech: Apple’s AI push got a mixed market reaction after WWDC, with Siri AI improvements but delayed rollout and limited launch coverage in key regions. AI in Africa: Google expanded “Ask Gemini in Chrome” to Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, bringing built-in browser help to more African users, including Seychelles. Public Health Tech: Seychelles and Eritrea adopted a WHO prequalified 4th-generation integrated ANC test for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B, enabling triple screening from a single finger prick visit. Tourism & Digital Transformation: Seychelles endorsed UN Tourism’s Management Vision 2026–2029, stressing connectivity, workforce development, sustainability and digital transformation. Ocean Science & Conservation: World Oceans Day coverage highlights coral restoration imaging tech in the Western Indian Ocean, while Seychelles’ own ocean-protection efforts are discussed ahead of Our Ocean in Kenya. Education & Skills: Dubai’s Digital School expanded in Seychelles, training teachers to better use technology in classrooms. Local Environment & Resilience: A Seychelles gabion construction training programme built watershed restoration and erosion-control skills for youth. Crypto Market Watch: MEXC reported May trading surges tied to RWA and AI infrastructure themes, while Bitget ran Anti-Scam Month 2026 with reported user-protection recoveries.

Public Health Breakthrough: Seychelles and Eritrea have adopted Abbott’s WHO prequalified 4th-generation Determine ANC Panel, enabling one rapid finger-prick test in antenatal care for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B. Tourism & Governance: Seychelles endorsed UN Tourism’s Management Vision 2026–2029 at the 126th Executive Council, with priorities including sustainability, capacity building, connectivity and digital transformation. AI for Everyday Use: Google expanded “Ask Gemini in Chrome” to Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, with Seychelles included in the wider rollout list. Conservation Spotlight: Curieuse Island’s Aldabra giant tortoises are highlighted as a living result of Seychelles’ translocation and survival-focused conservation work. Ocean Science & Action: World Oceans Day coverage spotlights coral restoration imaging in the Western Indian Ocean and the push for better-funded, community-led marine protection ahead of Our Ocean in Kenya. Education & Skills: Dubai’s Digital School expanded teacher training in Seychelles, aiming to boost digital classroom skills across 11 schools. Tech in Finance (Global): Bitget launched Anti-Scam Month 2026, while BitMart’s IPOPrime SpaceX-linked tokenized fund drew 37,000+ participants.

Public Health Tech: Seychelles and Eritrea have adopted Abbott’s WHO prequalified 4th-generation integrated ANC Panel, enabling one quick finger-prick test in antenatal visits to screen for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B—aimed at accelerating triple elimination. AI in Everyday Life: Google is rolling out “Ask Gemini in Chrome” to more African markets, including Seychelles, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, bringing built-in AI help for searching and understanding information. Conservation & Tourism Tech: Curieuse Island’s Aldabra giant tortoises are highlighted as a living conservation success story, showing how translocation and habitat management can rebuild resilient wildlife populations. Ocean Science & Policy: World Oceans Day coverage spotlights coral restoration using advanced imaging tools, plus wider calls for inclusive, sustainable ocean governance that links conservation with livelihoods. Education & Skills: The UAE’s Digital School expands in Seychelles, training 100 teachers across 11 schools to better integrate digital tools into classrooms. Trade & Digitalisation: The EU and ESA states including Seychelles concluded an enhanced Economic Partnership Agreement focused on services and digitalisation, with room for other countries to join.

EU-Africa Trade: The EU and Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles concluded talks on an enhanced Economic Partnership Agreement, aiming for clearer rules and more services-and-digitalisation opportunities. Seychelles Education Tech: Dubai’s Digital School expanded in Seychelles, training 100 teachers across 11 schools to better use modern technology in classrooms. World Oceans Day (Coral Science): Canon South Africa highlighted coral restoration using advanced imaging via its “World Unseen” platform, partnering with Coral Spawning International and Nature Seychelles. Ocean Conservation (Local Delivery): A new Africa-focused push argues marine protection must be effectively managed and financed locally, pointing to Seychelles’ marine protection progress and conservation funding models. Seychelles Eco-Tourism Spotlight: U.S. News ranked Seychelles No. 1 for eco-tourism, citing protected areas, air quality, and species richness—while noting carbon emissions and water stress. Digital Finance Security: Bitget launched Anti-Scam Month 2026, reporting major scam-blocking and user recovery figures as crypto expands into multi-asset trading. Crypto Market Moves: BitMart’s IPOPrime SpaceX-linked tokenized fund drew 37,000+ participants; Bitget added 30 new stock spot listings under “Stock 2.0.” Tech & Tourism Cities: A Beijing mayors dialogue showcased AI-powered “smarter travel” ideas across 73 cities. Regional Mobility: Togo and Ghana moved toward visa-free entry for all African nationals, adding to Seychelles’ already visa-free policy.

Seychelles Tech & Skills: Dubai’s Digital School expanded in Seychelles, training 100 teachers across 11 schools to better use digital tools in classrooms, boosting digital transformation through UAE–Seychelles education cooperation. Ocean Governance: Nigeria’s ocean institutes urged more inclusive, sustainable ocean governance to protect livelihoods while tackling pollution and overuse. Aqua-Tourism Push: Nigeria’s boating and marine culture leaders say investment in boating safety, marine infrastructure and navigation tech could position the country as Africa’s next aqua-tourism hub. Eco-Tourism Spotlight: Seychelles was named the world’s top eco-tourism destination in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 rankings, with strengths in protected areas and natural environment—alongside noted pressure points like carbon emissions and water stress. Marine Conservation Finance: A report on Africa’s ocean conservation points to Seychelles’ marine protection progress, including debt conversion and dedicated ocean-protection funding structures. Cyber & Online Safety: Dutch authorities disrupted a major botnet scheme targeting 17m devices, while Bitget rolled out Anti-Scam Month 2026 to help users defend against multi-asset fraud. Crypto Markets: Bitget added 30 new stock spot listings, widening access to tokenized stocks and major global companies. Local Science: A new study links vanished Seychelles crocodiles to the saltwater crocodile via DNA matching from museum specimens. Aviation Standards: ICAO and regional aviation bodies held an ACR/PCR workshop including Seychelles, aiming to harmonise runway and pavement standards for safer, stronger connectivity.

Ocean Governance & Economy: IOI-Nigeria and NIOMR are urging more inclusive, sustainable ocean governance to protect livelihoods while tackling pollution and overuse. Aqua-tourism & Marine Tech: Nigeria’s boating leaders say safer boating, modern marine infrastructure and navigation tech could position the country as Africa’s next aqua-tourism hub. Renewable Energy at Sea: A look at Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) explains how tropical temperature differences could deliver steady power (and potential freshwater) for island regions. Ocean Conservation Delivery: A new Africa-focused push highlights that ocean protection plans must be effectively managed and financed, with Seychelles cited for already protecting over 30% of waters. Seychelles Eco-tourism Spotlight: U.S. News ranks Seychelles No. 1 for eco-tourism, praising protected areas and air quality while flagging carbon emissions and water stress. Education & Digital Skills: Dubai’s Digital School expands in Seychelles, training 100 teachers across 11 schools to better use technology in classrooms. Cybersecurity: Dutch authorities disrupted a massive botnet operation that infected 17+ million devices, using them as residential proxies for large-scale attacks. Aviation Standards: Seychelles joined an ICAO regional workshop on ACR/PCR pavement and aircraft classification ratings to support safer, trade-friendly air infrastructure. Heritage & Skills: A Mauritius workshop maps a regional roadmap to preserve indentured labour heritage across the Indian Ocean. Local Climate Resilience: Youths in Seychelles complete gabion construction training to support watershed restoration and erosion control. Crypto Fraud Watch: Bitget’s Anti-Scam Month 2026 reports major interception and recovery figures as platforms expand into multi-asset trading. Seychelles Wildlife Research: DNA work identifies the “vanished” Seychelles crocodiles as the westernmost saltwater crocodile population, linking museum specimens to living animals.

Cybersecurity & Finance: Bitget has launched Anti-Scam Month 2026, saying it blocked 150m malicious attack requests in 2025 and helped users recover about $32.3m, as multi-asset trading expands into crypto, tokenized products and AI-linked scams. Education Tech (Seychelles): Dubai’s Digital School expanded in Seychelles, adding teacher training for 100 teachers across 11 schools to help integrate digital tools in classrooms. Ocean Conservation: Seychelles is highlighted as a model for ocean protection, already safeguarding over 30% of its waters, with governance and financing support tied to the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust. Eco-Tourism Spotlight: Seychelles was named the world’s top eco-tourism destination in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 rankings, scoring strongly on protected areas and natural environment indicators. Aviation & Infrastructure: A regional ICAO workshop in the Seychelles discussed new ACR/PCR runway and pavement standards to keep air infrastructure aligned for safer trade and connectivity. Cybercrime Takedown: Dutch authorities disrupted a botnet operation that infected 17m devices, seizing 200 servers used for large-scale cyberattacks. Wildlife Research: Scientists say Seychelles’ vanished crocodiles were the westernmost saltwater crocodile population, identified by DNA matching from living animals and museum specimens.

Ocean Conservation & Funding: Seychelles is highlighted for protecting over 30% of its waters, backed by marine-focused debt conversion and ocean-dedicated bonds, as partners build governance to deliver the 2030 “30% by 2030” goal. Eco-Tourism Spotlight: U.S. News ranks Seychelles No. 1 for eco-tourism in 2026, citing strong natural protection, air quality and species richness—while flagging carbon emissions and water stress. Digital Education in Schools: Dubai’s Digital School expands in Seychelles, training 100 teachers across 11 schools to better use modern tech in classrooms. Cybersecurity Alert: Dutch authorities disrupted a massive botnet operation that infected 17+ million devices, using them as a residential proxy network for large-scale attacks. Aviation Standards for Seychelles: ICAO regional workshop in the Seychelles region discusses new ACR/PCR pavement/runway classification standards to support safer, more efficient air infrastructure. Tourism Tech Diplomacy: Victoria mayor joins a Beijing mayors dialogue on “Smarter Travel, Stronger Cities,” focusing on AI and tech-enabled tourism. Visa Processing Change: Kenya applicants for Irish visas face higher costs and must submit documents via VFS in Nairobi after the embassy shifted services. Local Skills for Resilience: Youth complete gabion construction training to support watershed restoration and erosion control.

Ocean Conservation & Tourism: Seychelles is highlighted as a top eco-tourism destination in 2026 rankings, with strong scores tied to protected areas, air quality and species richness—while carbon emissions and water stress remain pressure points. Ocean Science: New research warns that the ocean’s “dark web” in the twilight zone is being fished before scientists fully understand it, as industrial fleets reach deeper ecosystems. Education & Digital Skills: Dubai’s Digital School expanded in Seychelles, training 100 teachers across 11 schools to better use technology in classrooms. Local Skills for Climate Resilience: Youths completed gabion construction training to support watershed restoration and erosion control, backed by local committees and partners. City Tech & Tourism: Victoria’s mayor joined global mayors in Beijing to discuss tech-empowered tourism, including AI-driven smarter travel. Cybersecurity: Dutch authorities disrupted a massive botnet-linked scheme that hijacked over 17 million devices, showing how residential proxies can power large-scale attacks. Wildlife Research: Scientists say Seychelles’ vanished crocodiles were actually the westernmost saltwater crocodile population, identified by DNA matching museum specimens. Seychelles in Global Prosperity: Seychelles tops Africa in a 2026 prosperity index, combining income, health, education and environmental performance.

Digital Education in Seychelles: Dubai’s Digital School has expanded its programme in Seychelles, launching a new phase to build digital skills for 100 teachers across 11 schools, partnering with Seychelles’ Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development and the UAE Government Experience Exchange Programme. Heritage & Research: Seychelles-linked discussions featured in a Mauritius workshop focused on preserving and documenting indentured labour heritage across the Indian Ocean, with UNESCO and ICOMOS among participants. Tech-Enabled Tourism: Victoria’s mayor joined a Beijing dialogue on “Smarter Travel, Stronger Cities,” where mayors discussed using AI and other tech to modernise urban tourism. Cybersecurity Alert: Dutch authorities disrupted a major botnet operation that infected over 17 million devices worldwide, using them as a residential proxy service for large-scale cyberattacks. Aviation Standards: A regional ICAO awareness workshop on Aircraft Classification Rating/Pavement Classification Rating (ACR/PCR) brought together Seychelles and other African aviation professionals to align runway and pavement assessment standards. Climate Resilience: A study highlighted that reflective roof paint can cool homes by about 3–4°C during peak heat, improving sleep for vulnerable households in Africa. Crypto Safety Push: Bitget launched Anti-Scam Month 2026, warning that multi-asset fraud losses hit $442B globally in 2025 and urging stronger user protection.

Education & Skills: Dubai’s Digital School has expanded in Seychelles, launching a new phase to train 100 teachers across 11 schools so they can better use digital tools in classrooms, with the programme run in partnership with Seychelles’ Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development and the UAE Government Experience Exchange Programme. Heritage & Research: Heritage experts and officials met in Mauritius to strengthen preservation and documentation of indentured labour heritage across the Indian Ocean, building a regional roadmap with UNESCO and ICOMOS input. Youth & Resilience: Young people in Seychelles completed a five-day gabion construction training to support watershed restoration, erosion control and climate resilience, backed by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. Tourism Tech: Victoria’s mayor joined a Beijing dialogue on tech-empowered tourism, highlighting China-Seychelles people-to-people links and local infrastructure projects. Cybersecurity: Dutch authorities disrupted a major botnet operation that infected over 17 million devices worldwide, using them as a residential proxy service for large-scale cyberattacks. Environment & Travel: A World Environment Day-linked travel piece argues destinations are shifting from “green tourism” marketing to protecting nature as a core part of climate resilience. Aviation Standards: A regional ICAO workshop in Eswatini covered new Aircraft Classification Rating/Pavement Classification Rating standards, with Seychelles among participating countries.

Heritage & Education: A landmark Mauritius workshop brought UNESCO and ICOMOS into the spotlight to strengthen preservation, documentation and promotion of indentured labour heritage across the Indian Ocean, with Seychelles-linked community history and research highlighted. Climate & Health: A study on “cool roofs” shows painted reflective roofs can cut peak heat in African homes by about 3–4°C, improving sleep for vulnerable families—an adaptation angle that matters for Seychelles’ heat resilience. Tourism Tech: Global mayors in Beijing discussed “Smarter Travel, Stronger Cities,” using AI and digital tools to modernise urban tourism—Victoria’s mayor also joined the dialogue. Cybersecurity: Dutch authorities disrupted a massive botnet operation that hijacked over 17 million devices, using them as a residential proxy network for large-scale attacks. Aviation & Infrastructure: ICAO hosted a regional workshop in Eswatini on ACR/PCR pavement classification standards, with Seychelles among 12 countries—aimed at safer, more efficient air connectivity. Local Skills: Youths completed gabion construction training to support watershed restoration, erosion control and climate resilience. Crypto Safety: Bitget launched Anti-Scam Month 2026, warning that multi-asset trading is driving big increases in digital fraud losses. Regional Defence: The PRAGATI 2026 Indian Ocean exercise concluded at Umroi, with Seychelles participating and defence firms showcasing drones, counter-drone tech and secure communications.

Eco-Travel Shift: World Environment Day coverage argues travel is moving from “green choices” to destinations treating nature—reefs, mangroves, wildlife reserves—as essential infrastructure for resilience. Local Skills & Resilience: Seychelles youths completed a five-day gabion construction training to boost watershed restoration, erosion control, and climate resilience. Tourism Tech Diplomacy: Victoria’s mayor joined a Beijing mayors dialogue on “Smarter Travel, Stronger Cities,” highlighting AI and tech collaboration for tourism. Cybersecurity Crackdown: Dutch authorities disrupted a massive botnet scheme that hijacked 17+ million devices for large-scale cyberattacks, seizing 200 servers. Aviation Standards for Seychelles: An ICAO regional workshop on Aircraft/Pavement Classification Rating (ACR/PCR) brought together 12 countries including Seychelles to align runway assessment standards. Wildlife Mystery Solved: Scientists identified the vanished Seychelles crocodiles as the westernmost saltwater crocodile population, using DNA from living animals and museum specimens. Trade Finance Boost: Mauritius Commercial Bank pledged $1 billion to support trade finance across Africa, aiming to strengthen regional value chains. Crypto Safety Push: Bitget launched Anti-Scam Month 2026, citing rising multi-asset fraud losses and warning users about phishing and AI-generated scams.

World Environment Day & Travel: A new push is reframing eco-tourism as destination-wide protection of beaches, reefs, mangroves and wildlife—not just “green” hotel tweaks. Cybersecurity: Dutch authorities disrupted a massive botnet operation that infected 17+ million devices, seizing 200 servers used to run large-scale attacks. Local Skills & Resilience: Youths in Seychelles completed a five-day gabion construction training to support watershed restoration, erosion control and climate resilience. Tourism Tech: Victoria’s mayor joined a Beijing mayors dialogue on “Smarter Travel, Stronger Cities,” highlighting AI and tech-enabled tourism. Aviation Standards: ICAO hosted a regional workshop in Eswatini on Aircraft/Pavement Classification Rating (ACR/PCR), with Seychelles among 12 participating countries. Wildlife Research: Scientists identified the vanished Seychelles crocodiles as the westernmost saltwater crocodile population using DNA from museum specimens. Digital Finance Safety: Bitget launched Anti-Scam Month 2026, warning multi-asset fraud losses hit $442B globally in 2025. Crypto Exchange Update: MEXC topped new perpetual contract listings in CoinGecko’s 2026 report.

Cybersecurity: Dutch authorities say they disrupted a massive botnet operation that infected 17+ million devices, using compromised PCs, phones and cameras as a residential proxy network to scale cyberattacks. Wildlife Research: Scientists have identified the “lost” Seychelles crocodiles as the westernmost population of saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus), using DNA from living animals and rare museum specimens. Local Skills & Resilience: Ten youths completed a five-day gabion construction training in Roche Caiman, supporting watershed restoration, erosion control and climate resilience, led by the Baie Lazare Watershed Committee with GAEA Seychelles. Local Governance & China Ties: Victoria’s mayor highlighted benefits from China–Seychelles cooperation, including people-to-people links and China-funded infrastructure projects. Aviation Infrastructure: A regional ICAO workshop on Aircraft Classification Rating/Pavement Classification Rating (ACR/PCR) brought together 12 African countries including Seychelles to align standards for safer, more efficient air transport. Crypto Safety: Bitget launched Anti-Scam Month 2026, citing Interpol data that multi-asset scams caused $442B in losses in 2025.