Africa-Press – Eswatini. His Excellency the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Eswatini to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sifiso Mlandvo Dlamini has expressed appreciation to His Majesty King Mswati III’s leadership and compassion in the repatriation of emaSwati in the Middle East conflict zone.
A fortnight ago, the government confirmed that 19 more emaSwati landed safely from the State of Qatar, pushing the total number of evacuated citizens to 44 since the repatriation mission began the previous week.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Pholile Shakantu said the operation was far from over, with additional arrivals expected from Saudi Arabia as teams continued working to bring emaSwati home.
The evacuation follows His Majesty’s directive that citizens caught up in the instability in parts of the Gulf region should be safely repatriated.
In an exclusive interview, the ambassador to the UAE said the Eswatini embassy in that Islamic State continued to encourage all emaSwati who had decided to remain behind during the evacuation exercise to stay vigilant and stick to all recommended safety precautions.
“Allow me to begin by expressing our sincere appreciation for His Majesty’s leadership and compassion, which have ensured that emaSwati can return home safely. We are pleased to note that the United Arab Emirates, together with other countries in the region, has thus far been effective in safeguarding residents and maintaining stability. The continued commitment to protecting all residents is commendable. The Embassy of the Kingdom Eswatini in the UAE continues to encourage every liSwati that chose to stay behind to remain vigilant and to follow all recommended safety precautions as communicated through official channels,” said Dlamini.
The ambassador added that as the situation continues to evolve, they are closely monitoring developments through credible media sources and with the guidance of the UAE government.
“While uncertainty remains regarding potential escalation, we remain hopeful that ongoing diplomatic efforts—particularly the engagement by the United States with Iran will contribute to de-escalation and a return to normalcy. We continue to keep all affected in our thoughts and prayers,” said Dlamini.
Meanwhile, on March 5, 2026, His Majesty’s Government facilitated the safe return to the United Arab Emirates of 13 UAE nationals who had been in the Kingdom of Eswatini. On March 7, 2026, one liSwati national was successfully repatriated from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The minister of foreign affairs had previously said these efforts continue to be guided by the command of His Majesty King Mswati III, who has emphasised the importance of ensuring that every liSwati in distress is assisted to return home safely.
Government, she said, remains fully seized with this matter and will continue working tirelessly until all affected citizens are safely reunited with their families.
During this period of uncertainty, the ministry called upon the public to remain calm, united and vigilant.
“Members of the public are encouraged to refrain from circulating unverified information and to rely only on official communication from government and the relevant authorities in host countries.
Further updates will be issued as the situation evolves. Government thanks the nation for its patience, trust and solidarity,” reads a government statement in part.
