By Ncaba Ntshakala
A milestone for the European Union!
The Month of May marks a significant milestone for the European Union (EU)-Eswatini Youth Advisory Board (YAB), which recently convened to commemorate its one-year anniversary.
During a meeting held recently, the fourteen-member YAB, alongside representatives from the European Union in Eswatini, gathered to reflect on past achievements and chart a course for the future.
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The Board is led by Chairperson Busiswa Dlamini. During the meeting, the YAB presented a comprehensive overview of its accomplishments over the past year,
Where the Chairperson Busisiwe Dlamini made highlights, focusing on their five key thematic areas which are Climate Change and Environment, Social Inclusion,
Human Capital Development/Skills Development, Employment/Entrepreneurship/Private Sector, and Communications/Networking/Partnerships.
Highlighting their active participation in public diplomacy and outreach events organized by the EU Delegation in 2023-2024,
Dlamini further expressed gratitude for the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue and contribute to EU initiatives.
Also, during the meeting, discussions centered on identifying challenges and devising strategies to overcome them in the YAB’s second year of operation.
Selected based on merit and reflecting Eswatini’s diversity and regional representation, the YAB serves as an advisory body, aiming to enhance the relevance and effectiveness of EU action in the country for its youth demographic.
With young people constituting 70% of Eswatini’s population, their involvement is deemed indispensable for achieving sustainable development goals.
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The European Union further shared that EU’s development assistance priorities in Eswatini in the coming years revolve around youth empowerment, job creation, employability, and social inclusion.
Consequently, youth participation in EU programming is deemed essential to ensure the alignment of initiatives with the needs and aspirations of young Swazis.
The EU also expressed that the establishment of the YAB stems from the Youth Action Plan adopted in the European Union External Action for 2022 – 2027.
This landmark policy framework is said to signify EU’s dedication to strengthening strategic partnerships with young people worldwide, with a view to building a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future.
