Abu Dhabi Fund for Development helps build housing in Seychelles

The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) helped break ground on a social housing project in Seychelles, an archipelago nation off the eastern coast of Africa, on July 30.

The housing development is on Mahé Island, one of the Republic of Seychelles' largest islands. The ADFD provided around $9 million for the project, a contributory grant administered on behalf of the United Arab Emirates.

In addition to 106 housing units, the project built up the associated surrounding infrastructure including electrical grids, water and sanitation networks, roads and parks.

ADFD managed the building on behalf of the UAE in three areas of Mahé Island: Barbaron, Bill Amber and Takamaka. Mahé Island, the largest in the Seychelles archipelago, is also home to the majority of the Republic’s population.

The funding is part of ADFD’s mission to support infrastructure projects in developing countries. That, in turn, fuels growth and economic development. The housing sector is a major recipient of foreign assistance from ADFD as better housing empowers local communities.

“The UAE will continue to support the government of Seychelles in implementing infrastructure projects and economic reform programs to improve the living standards of its citizens,” Adel Abdulla Al Hosani, ADFD’s director of operations, said. “To this end, ADFD has undertaken several major development projects that serve key economic and social sectors, while contributing to the sustainable development of the country.”