By King’s Office Correspondents
HARARE, ZIMBABWE – Eswatini is officially off the SADC Organ TROIKA agenda. This comes after SADC Heads of State and Government adopted a recommendation to this effect at the 44th SADC Summit on Saturday.
The Kingdom had formally submitted a request to be removed from the SADC Organ Troika agenda, following last year’s submissions by His Majesty the King to SADC leaders, to the effect that the issues leading to the June 2021 unrest were completely addressed and the situation normalised.
The request was presented by Deputy Prime Minister Thuli Dladla, who represented Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Pholile Shakantu here in Harare ahead of the SADC Summit of Heads of States and Government.
In her motivation, the minister said: “In light of the progress achieved and the ongoing stable political and security situation in Eswatini, I wish to reiterate our government’s request for the Kingdom of Eswatini to be favourably considered for removal from the agenda of the Organ Troika. We are confident that the measures undertaken and the progress reported on align with the shared goals of regional stability and prosperity.”
She stated that the success of the 2023 national elections, which were overwhelmingly supported by all voting age emaSwati, under a climate of peace and stability, and the positive assessment of foreign observer missions like the SADC Electoral Observation Mission, the African Union, the Commonwealth and the Russian Federation affirmed this progress by the Kingdom.
The minister added that the successful Sibaya (People’s Parliament), where citizens engaged directly with the leadership on national issues, highlighted the nation’s commitment to a consultative and inclusive approach to governance.
“This process, this time-honoured method of dialogue, deeply rooted in our culture, has once again demonstrated the resilience and unity of the emaSwati people,” she said. The foreign minister said the Kingdom remains steadfast in its commitment to multilateralism and collaboration with its neighbours and the broader region.
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She said the principles of peace, democracy and good governance, as enshrined in the SADC Treaty and Protocols, continue to guide Eswatini’s actions, as its principles are guided by the Constitution of the Kingdom of Eswatini Act (2005).
King welcomes SADC University E3.4M budget support
HARARE, ZIMBABWE – His Majesty King Mswati III has told the SADC leaders that plans to establish the SADC University of Transformation in the Kingdom were at the advanced stage.
The King said this during the 44th SADC Summit when appreciating the USD 180,000 (approximately E3.4m) set aside by SADC as budget support for the university.
He said the establishment of the university is central to the summit’s theme of “Promoting Innovation to unlock opportunities for sustainable growth and development towards an industrialised SADC.”
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“Innovation is the engine of long-term economic growth, driving productivity and competitiveness, which are essential for the prosperity of our region. For us to harness the full potential of innovation, it is crucial to involve research institutions, universities and centres of excellence to package viable and sustainable projects.”
“Unlocking these opportunities will attract good funding and investment in generating the knowledge and solutions needed to drive our industrialisation agenda forward,” His Majesty the King said.
He said it was therefore critical that they speed up the development of the SADC University of Transformation if they were to realise innovation in the region.
“The Kingdom of Eswatini reaffirms its unwavering commitment to hosting the university and preparations have begun in earnest. We are grateful that SADC has set aside a budget of USD 180 000 to kick-start this process,” he said.
The King said human capital development is a critical pillar for the sustained growth and development of the region.
He said the Kingdom has over the years encouraged and supported innovation and human capital by empowering the youth at schools in entrepreneurship.
“Such programmes are executed by the government in partnership with partners such as Junior Achievement Eswatini.
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“A week ago, we had an Entrepreneur of the Year ceremony where we awarded those businesses that have done well and are innovative. A young entrepreneur was crowned for the exceptional work he does in the areas of geographic information systems and he conceived this business idea when he was still in high school,” he said.
His Majesty said youth unemployment is still one of the most pressing challenges facing the region. The King said with a significant percentage of the population under the age of 35, the region must create opportunities for young people to engage in productive and meaningful work.
“Innovation and entrepreneurship must be at the forefront of our efforts to tackle this issue by supporting start-ups, fostering an entrepreneurial culture and providing access to finance and mentorship. This will empower our youth to become job creators rather than job seekers,” the King said.
His Majesty said Eswatini is actively pursuing SADC goals aimed at addressing youth unemployment through programs and establishing local youth funds that will help them start their own businesses.
“Our Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP) also provides business training and incubation to nurture their creative business ideas. All these initiatives will not only reduce unemployment but also drive economic growth and social stability across the region,” he said.
SADC must prioritise food security
HARARE, ZIMBABWE – His Majesty the King informed the 44th SADC Summit leaders to heavily invest in resilient agricultural practices and enhance cooperation in food production to address food security in the region.
The King said doing so will safeguard the region against food insecurity and ensure that all citizens are well-nourished and healthy.
“Eswatini has established initiatives that seek to improve food security by supporting our farmers at various levels. We would like to express particular gratitude to SADC for the support given for the development of a transnational water harvesting project in the eastern part of the Kingdom, along our border with Mozambique. The two countries stand to benefit from this initiative, helping us to combat the uncertainties that have been visited upon us by climate change,” the King said.
His Majesty the King further called for the championing of value addition to local products as that has the potential to create job opportunities and much-needed economic growth and development.
“The philosophy of sharing and cooperation should be promoted, as the saying goes; if you want to walk a long distance, walk as a group; but if you walk alone, you will walk a short distance.
“Other regions of the world have realised massive development because they share knowledge, experience and expertise. We should not compete but rather, support and complement each other,” the King said.
Sanctions Negatively affected Zimbabwe
HARARE, ZIMBABWE – His Majesty King Mswati III has indicated that sanctions against Zimbabwe are negatively affecting lives.
The king said this has stagnated the country’s development programmes affecting their objectives of implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Vision 2063 which seeks to create equal opportunities for all, where no one will be left behind.
The United States and European Union effected sanctions against Zimbabwe at the turn of the century (2002), following what they described as human rights violations.
United States President Joe Biden reviewed their position and removed the Zimbabwe sanctions regulations in March 2024. In closing, His Majesty the King called for the region to work together, and harness innovation to unlock opportunities for sustainable growth and development in order to drive SADC towards a more prosperous and industrialised future.
Mnangagwa calls for the protection of African Sovereignty
HARARE, ZIMBABWE – Zimbabwe assumed chairmanship of the SADC regional body yesterday and the president accepted the responsibility with a rallying call to African leaders.
He said the democracy being enjoyed in member countries was paid for by their predecessors and that they all have a duty to jealously guard this sovereignty.
“A country should be built and paid for by its own people. Likewise, for SADC, those who want to assist us must do so on our terms. We must remain who we are as a people and use our God-given abilities to develop; nothing is impossible,” he said.
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Angola handed over the baton to Zimbabwe during the 44th SADC Summit held at the parliament buildings yesterday. In accepting the responsibility, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa extended appreciation to SADC leaders for demonstrating true friendship by being resolute in their solidarity with the country in the midst of long-standing sanctions imposed after Zimbabwe reclaimed its land from white settlers.
He urged the organ to control its own destiny by refusing to allow external forces to determine what was good for the people of the continent.
President Mnangagwa emphasised that the region must now maximise its resources in order to achieve the SADC goal of industrialisation.
“SADC cannot afford to fall behind. Let us use science and innovation to take concrete and real action to realise the goals of our strategy and the Academia must play a leading role in this endeavour,” he said. He committed the country to leading the organisation for the greater good of all citizens of the SADC member countries.
