by Ncaba Ntshakala
The Kingdom of Eswatini and the State of Kuwait recently celebrated 28 years of diplomatic relations, a bond officially established in 1996.
The Kingdom of Eswatini’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Senator Pholile Shakantu, held a pivotal meeting with her Kuwaiti counterpart, His Excellency Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the State of Kuwait.
The discussions took place on November 4-5, 2024, in Kuwait City, on the sidelines of the High-Level Conference on ‘Strengthening International Counter-Terrorism Cooperation and Building Agile Border Security Mechanisms – The Kuwait Phase of the Dushanbe Process.’
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The meeting highlighted a dedication to deepen the relationship between Eswatini and Kuwait, which reflected on nearly three decades of shared interests and collaboration.
Both ministers discussed enhancing cooperation across several key sectors, including taxation, agriculture, tourism, and trade and investment.
Negotiations in these areas were said to have been progressing, with a mutual pledge to expedite agreements that would benefit both nations’ economic and strategic objectives.
The dialogue between Minister Pholile Shakantu and Minister Al-Yahya builds on prior engagements, notably a recent meeting in September 2024, where the Prime Minister Russell Dlamini held discussions with Kuwait’s Crown Prince,
His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, during the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
This continued high-level engagement was further said to highlight the strength and priority of Eswatini-Kuwait relations, particularly in global forums.
The relationship between Eswatini and Kuwait has seen major milestones, including the establishment of Eswatini’s Embassy in Kuwait on May 26, 2008, the Kingdom’s first diplomatic mission in the Middle East.
On October 20, 2009, His Majesty King Mswati III made a historic third state visit to Kuwait, officially inaugurating the embassy.
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His Majesty’s visit solidified Eswatini’s diplomatic and economic outreach within the region, strengthening ties with a key partner in the Gulf.
The Minister was accompanied by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Eswatini to the State of Kuwait, His Excellency Nkululeko Dlamini,
the Colonel/Brigade Commander at the Ministry of Defence, Bhekinkosi Tsabedze, and Acting International Cooperation Coordinator at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Zandile Dlamini.
