Africa-Press – Eswatini. Eswatini has strengthened its position within the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) following the country’s participation at the 121st Session of the OACPS Council of Ministers held in Brussels.
The country’s delegation was led by the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Senator Manqoba Khumalo, who used the meeting to encourage member states to voluntarily contribute towards the financial sustainability of the organisation. The appeal forms part of the resource mobilisation drive led by His Majesty King Mswati III in his capacity as the OACPS Champion for Resource Mobilisation.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Senator Khumalo held separate talks with ministers from Chad, Uganda and Ethiopia. The discussions focused on expanding trade and investment, increasing agricultural cooperation and strengthening ties between the countries.
One of the major outcomes of the engagements was Chad’s commitment to contribute about US$1 million to support the OACPS Secretariat. Eswatini and Chad also agreed to establish formal diplomatic relations during the United Nations General Assembly in September this year, a move expected to open the door for closer cooperation between the two nations.
The Brussels meeting gave Eswatini another opportunity to engage with fellow member states on issues affecting the organisation while promoting stronger partnerships that support economic development and cooperation across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
The Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) is an international organisation comprising 79 member states from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. It was established in 1975 through the Georgetown Agreement to promote cooperation among its members and advance their shared interests in areas such as sustainable development, trade, investment, climate change, peace and security, and economic growth.
The organisation works closely with international partners, particularly the European Union, under the Samoa Agreement, which provides a framework for political dialogue, development cooperation and trade between the European Union and OACPS member states.
Eswatini has played an increasingly prominent role within the organisation. In 2023, His Majesty King Mswati III was appointed OACPS Champion for Resource Mobilisation, a role aimed at strengthening the organisation’s financial sustainability by encouraging member states and partners to increase support for its programmes and operations. The Kingdom has since continued to advocate for stronger partnerships, enhanced intra-OACPS trade and greater investment cooperation among member states.
