EU in Eswatini briefs Prime Minister on EU partnership programmes in the Kingdom

Europe Africa

BRUSSELS, 09 April 2024 / PRN Africa / -- On 08 April 2024, the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Eswatini made a comprehensive presentation to the Prime Minister, Russell Dlamini, on the EU development partnership with the Kingdom.

EU Ambassador to Eswatini, Dessislava Choumelova, and the EU Delegation team, delivered the presentation at Cabinet offices in Mbabane and covered main cooperation areas between the EU and the Kingdom of Eswatini with focus on the current MIP (Multi-Annual Indicative Programme) and ongoing thematic programmes.

The EU presented past and current support to education and skills: a programme through which the EU supported free primary education in Eswatini between 2007 and 2012 and also helped in infrastructure development in schools and colleges such as the building of classrooms and laboratories as well as assisted the country in developing the schools’ competence based curriculum.

Current EU support to education and skills, implemented between 2021 and 2027, will encompass human development and social inclusion with a focus on market-driven vocational education and training (TVET) and empowerment of disadvantaged youth and women in vulnerable situations.

Other areas of partnership covered by the presentation were:

- EU support to sustainable and inclusive renewable energy and investments in Eswatini, a programme that aims to boost the sustainable and inclusive development of Eswatini’s key value chains via renewable energy and energy efficiency investments.

- EU support to Private Sector Development and MSMEs in Eswatini, a programme that aims at supporting job creation and investment as well as the implementation of the EU-SADC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

- EU-Eswatini Partnership in Livestock Value Chains’ Development, a project that aims to create economic opportunities for smallholder farmers, women and youth through strengthening the livestock value chain for economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction.

- Water harvesting project – 16 water schemes to increase access to water for irrigation purposes. The project will also tackle food insecurity in Eswatini while supporting economic growth by enhancing the availability of water throughout the year through increased water storage capacity.

- EU support to youth and women empowerment through a YES (Youth and women Empowerment Support) project implemented through COSPE, an international NGO, and other civil society organisations. Another project, Hlonipheka – thriving for dignity aims to support, amongst others, people at risk of gender-based violence (GBV), survivors of GBV, people with disabilities and families.

The PM, accompanied by two Cabinet Ministers - Minister of Economic Planning and Development, Dr Tambo Gina, and Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, Prince Lonkhokhela, as well as senior government officials, appreciated the EU support to Eswatini, which has contributed extensively, and continues to do so, to the development of the country by making a difference to the lives of thousands of emaSwati.

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SOURCE European External Action