Africa-Press – Eswatini. His Majesty King Mswati III has urged Eswatini and South Africa to work tirelessly in strengthening bilateral relations and ensuring that all elements which may pose as threats to shared growth and neighbourliness get removed without fail.
The King, who was represented by Prince Mguciso during the South African Freedom Day celebration hosted at Mountain View Hotel, recognised the tremendous healthy and warm relations that happily exist between the two nations. He pointed out that Eswatini and SA had collaborated in many areas.
Relationship
“The spirit of good neighbourliness should remain at the apex of our relationship,” the King said during the event themed ‘Consolidating our Democratic Gains’.
The King said it would be amiss of him not to highlight that Eswatini was one of the players in making sure that South Africans attained their freedom.
His Majesty noted that due to close proximity of both countries and being members of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), they had realised various benefits such as, growth in trade, cross border security collaboration, health, education, agriculture, as well as job opportunities for which was in line with the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) spirit.
“As members of SADC, we need to promote peace and stability, economic development among ourselves and the African continent in general as this in line with the African free trade area aspirations. Free movement of goods and services remains critical for economic growth for both our countries and people,” he said.
The King went on to express gratefulness that in order to enhance trade partnership and free movement, there has been the establishment a 24 hour border facility at Ngwenya-Oshoek border gate.
High Commissioner to Eswatini Advocate Thokozile Sipamla conceded that South Africa and the kingdom enjoyed excellent cordial bilateral relations anchored upon the principles of mutual benefit, trade, shared values and common sustainable development.
Economies
From the trade perspective, she said both economies benefitting from growing trade between the two countries.
She said this was attested to by the fact that between September 2020 and September 2021 exports to Eswatini from South Africa increased by 21.4 per cent while imports to South Africa by 0.13 per cent. South Africa exported approximately E29.1 billion (US$ 1.94 billion) and imported E28.7 billion US$ 1.91 billion.
“Not only are we direct neighbours but in many ways we are also family. We shall continue to strengthen our relations at the highest levels with other like-minded countries as well to achieve the undeniable goal of creating a better world by promoting democratic values and good governance,” Sipamla said.
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