A tiny, almost barren island in the Indian Ocean has become a battleground in this weekend's elections in Seychelles, prompting global environmental concern.
Assumption Island, in the western Indian Ocean, possesses little at first glance that would set even the most curious and intrepid traveller's pulse racing. Stripped almost bare and blisteringly hot, with few man-made structures, it covers an area similar to London's Heathrow Airport and is, arguably, only slightly more scenic.
Yet this tropical island anomaly - both geographically remote, and far from the popular ideal of lush paradise - has become a hotspot for geopolitical powers and eco-warriors, plus a political lightning rod in Seychelles, the country that owns it.
Situated 1,140km (700 miles) from Seychelles' most populous main island, tourist-friendly Mahé, Assumption Island is a sausage-shaped, coralline finger of low-level scrub, fringed by casuarina trees. It was ravaged for its nitrogen-rich guano (seabird droppings) and agricultural use ended decades ago.
But now, Assumption Island's strategic position and ecological value is priceless.
The island lies close to this century's Silk Road – the busy commercial shipping lanes carrying manufactured goods and materials from East Asia to Africa and beyond. India was keen to build a military base on Assumption but was rebuffed.
Permanent or de facto ownership has so far been off the cards thanks to pressure from the proud Seychellois public. As the tiny republic goes to the polls in presidential and parliamentary ballots, Assumption is a key electoral touchpoint.
At least under my watch, there will never be a foreign military base in Seychelles, President Wavel Ramkalawan tells BBC News, on the eve of polling. We are not interested in the geopolitics. We remain outside.
With the lease of Assumption Island to the Qatari royal family, environmental sensitivities have intensified. Conservationists highlight the ecological significance of Assumption, especially its role as a turtle nesting ground and gateway to the Unesco-listed Aldabra atoll.
This weekend's elections may deliver a clearer sense of whether good governance and environmental protection will shape Seychelles' future.