By Lwazi Dlamini
The Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini has pledged to provide more support to the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) as it drives the economic development in the country and the continent of Africa at large.
The Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg, delivering his address during the 60th Anniversary Celebrations on Monday night at Hilton Garden Inn,
said over the years the bank has shared knowledge and experiences on emerging development principles and other multi-disciplinary themes which has equipped the country with capacity on effective project implementation.
“On behalf of His Majesty, King Mswati the III, The Indlovukazi, His Excellency the Right Honourable Prime Minister,
the entire Cabinet Ministers and all Emaswati locally and abroad I would like to congratulate the African Development Bank on its sixty (60) years of establishment.
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I would like to remind all emaSwati and the bank that the partnership between the Kingdom of Eswatini and the African Development Bank (Our Bank) started way back in 1972.
This means Eswatini has been a member of the bank for the past 52 years. As we celebrate the Bank Group’s 60th anniversary,
we acknowledge that the Bank has continuously provided significant and diversified support to various sectors of the economy of the Kingdom of Eswatini such as agriculture, infrastructure, and social sector,” Rijkenberg said.
The Minister said to date, the Bank Group has provided sizeable loans and grants to the Kingdom of Eswatini and the most successful projects supported by the Bank Group include The Komati Downstream Development Project (KDDP),
Lower Usuthu Irrigation Project (LUSIP I & II) and the Manzini-Mbadlane Road Project, The Ezulwini and the Manzini water supply and sanitation projects.
“Most recently the bank has been providing the most required support for the proposed Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma water Augmentation project and Preparation of the proposed Siphofaneni-Sithobela Maloma-Nsoko (MR14) & Maloma-Siphambanweni (MR21) Roads.
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Through these projects, we expect to see a significant transformation of the agriculture sector and therefore contribute to enhanced food security and poverty reduction whilst at the same time improving our road infrastructure.
Let me mention that the good thing about the nature of our projects with the Bank is the potential they have to uplift the ordinary Emaswati from the poverty scourge,” he said.
The Minister added: “I would also like to register Eswatini’s appreciation for the bank’s liaison office that has been recently opened in the country as we grow together and as the bank spreads its wings within Africa and the region and also mention that this office is indeed a symbol of our longstanding relationship with the bank, I sincerely thank the great vision by His Majesty,
King Mswati III on driving the establishment of this office and President Adesina for being Instrumental in seeing this vision succeed,”
