Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Kingdom of Eswatini is set to host a major international diplomatic gathering, the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) African Regional Parliamentary Group of Meetings alongside the First Session of the Joint Africa–EU Parliamentary Assembly (JPA), scheduled for 7–14 May 2026.
His Majesty’s Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, confirmed the development in a press statement, noting that the high-level engagement will place Eswatini at the centre of a key global parliamentary dialogue.
The gathering will bring together legislators from 79 OACPS Member States and 27 European Union Member States, forming a 106-country inter-regional platform. Collectively, the OACPS–EU partnership represents more than 1.5 billion people, making it the largest inter-regional partnership of its kind in the world.
According to the Ministry, the Joint Parliamentary Assembly remains one of the most visible institutional platforms for dialogue between the OACPS and the European Union, serving as a central mechanism for political consultation, cooperation and parliamentary engagement across continents.
The partnership is underpinned by a structured and multi-tiered governance architecture that ensures political oversight, coordination and engagement across member states, with the Joint Parliamentary Assembly serving as its principal parliamentary body.
Eswatini’s Permanent Representative to the European Union, H.E. Sibusisiwe Mngomezulu, highlighted the significance of the Assembly within this framework, noting its role in connecting institutions and strengthening cooperation.
She explained that the European Union operates through a structured, rules-based institutional framework that brings together its Member States, executive institutions and parliamentary bodies in shaping collective policy and external engagement. Within the OACPS–EU partnership, this structure interfaces with a similarly comprehensive framework on the OACPS side.
“The Joint Parliamentary Assembly sits at the heart of this architecture, providing a platform where elected representatives from both sides engage directly on shared priorities. Its convening in Eswatini reflects not only the Kingdom’s growing diplomatic profile, but also its role in supporting dialogue that connects institutions, regions and peoples across this partnership,” she said.
Preparations for the hosting of the Assembly are being coordinated nationally, with the Parliament of Eswatini leading arrangements, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and other government institutions.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Senator Pholile Shakantu, said the event represents a renewed commitment to international cooperation.
“The upcoming JPA in Eswatini symbolises not only a meeting of minds but also a renewed commitment to the ideals of partnership, cooperation, and progress among the OACPS and the EU,” she said.
Government has expressed confidence that hosting the Assembly will enhance Eswatini’s diplomatic visibility, strengthen international partnerships, and reinforce the country’s commitment to multilateral engagement.
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