Africa-Press – Eswatini. The 43rd SADC Summit has been described as one that afforded the country an opportunity to help leaders understand the Tinkhundla System of Government better.
This was the observation of His Majesty the King, who said, as a result, some SADC leaders commended the country for coming up with a home-grown political governance system and encouraged emaSwati to nurture it if it worked well for the country. The King was speaking to the media upon his return from the summit on Saturday night. He was accompanied by Inkhosikati LaNtentesa. The summit was preceded by a meeting of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, known as the Troika. Eswatini was on the Troika’s agenda, where it was expected to give an update on the political and security situation in the country, following the June 2021 riots. The King said after the opening ceremony, leaders went into a session where, among other things on the agenda, the country was able to give an update about recent developments that had seen the country attain peace and begin the process of elections.
Prayer
“We reported to SADC that we started the year with a national prayer, where we called for silencing of the guns and the adoption of the Swati way of resolving issues, through peaceful means. We informed SADC that emaSwati listened to the call, which is in line with the Africa Union initiative towards achieving the goals of Agenda 2063 and there is now peace in the country,” he said. The King said the prevailing peace had created a conducive environment to hold the national elections, which are currently underway and have recorded a very successful voter registration turnout. “We reported that above 500 000 people registered, which was close to 600 000. If you turn this into a percentage, it represents between 90 and 95 per cent of eligible voter turnout. This demonstrated a commitment by emaSwati to participate in the Tinkhundla election process,” he noted.
The King said SADC would be sending election observers to all the countries that would be conducting elections, and Eswatini was more than ready to welcome them. He reported that this was when the country used the opportunity to educate the leaders on how the Tinkhundla System worked, saying the leaders were appreciative of the information. “They encouraged us to continue working together and stay united in nurturing the system for the development and benefit of our people,” he said. The King said the leaders wished the country well in the elections while extending the same to other countries that were heading to the polls this year.
Agenda
“On the security issue, we were not the only country on the agenda, as there were reports from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mozambique, Lesotho, and others. The region has a bright future, but there is a need to address conflicts such as those we see in Niger, Sudan, Russia, and Ukraine. “SADC took a position to call for a peaceful solution in all these areas as the impact is having a devastating effect on hundreds of people who have now become refugees,” he said. His Majesty added that the reality on the ground was that no country could develop without the cooperation and support of other countries, which was why the country regarded SADC as an important organ.
Speaking on the summit theme, ‘Human and Financial Capital: The Key Drivers for Sustainable Industrialisation in the SADC Region,’ the King said concern persisted about how African countries continued to export raw materials with no value addition. He said the leaders had resolved to work together to reverse this trend. “Among the issues we need to develop are; trade, energy sufficiency, and agriculture. We want to develop our region into the SADC that our forefathers envisioned. “We will look at development from all fronts, particularly ensuring the presence of peace and security, and in making this call, it was evident that the region is committed to an Africa that is well developed to meet the needs of its people,” he said.
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