“The Price of a Narrow Metric: Why Vulnerability Must Count”

Opinion by James Alix Michel (victoria, seychelles)Thursday, October 01, 2026Inter Press Service VICTORIA, Seychelles, October 1 (IPS) - From a distance, an island nation can appear to possess everything: pristine waters, a thriving tourism industry and a strong cultural identity. Its income figures may suggest prosperity. James Alix MichelYet those figures can conceal the permanent costs of remoteness, dependence on imported food and fuel, expensive transport and infrastructure, and an economy exposed to forces far beyond its shores. A pandemic, a cyclone or a sudden interruption in tourism can undo years of progress with frightening speed.This is the paradox confronting small island states. We are judged by what we earn on paper, while our future is shaped by what we must endure in reality. President Dr Patrick Herminie of Seychelles brought this question to the United Nations this month, urging international finance to “measure reality correctly”. He called for affordable, accessible, long-term finance, meaningful debt relief and effective implementation of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI). His appeal continues a case Seychelles has made for many years.In 2009, Sey...