Times Of Swaziland: FOOD ORGANISATION TO ESTABLISH OFFICE IN ESWATIN

FOOD ORGANISATION TO ESTABLISH OFFICE IN ESWATIN
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Thokozani Mamba on 28/10/2024 08:27:00


LUDZIDZINI- His Majesty King Mswati III has expressed satisfaction that Eswatini
will benefit from programmes aimed at sustaining food security.
This will be through the establishment of a regional office of the Food  and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in the country. When addressing the media at
Ludzidzini Royal Residence yesterday afternoon, the King announced that the
organisation’s director general has requested that an office be established in
the country, which will benchmark in benefitting countries in the Southern
African Development Community (SADC) and the continent as a whole, with
programmes aimed at assisting member States with food security. Yesterday,
around lunch time, the head of State landed at the King Mswati III International
Airport, in the company of Liphovela LaZuma. Present to welcome the King were
Emazinyane, Emakhosikati, Prime Minister Russell Dlamini, Speaker Jabulani
Mabuza, Lubombo Regional Administrator Themba Msibi and Senate President Lindiwe
Dlamini.
Unpacked
Others were Minister of Public Service Mabulala Maseko and Minister of Sports,
Culture and Youth Affairs Bongani Nzima, to mention a few. His Majesty first
unpacked his visit to Italy, where he joined heads of State during the FAO
meeting, where they primarily discussed the importance of achieving the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. He noted that it was discussed
that Eswatini and other SADC countries, including some in the continent, will be
adversely affected by hunger due to the persisting dry weather conditions that
have been experienced in the past few years.
The King highlighted that the issue of food security was deliberated on at
length, hence the leaders also looked at mitigation plans that can be employed
to ensure that countries minimise the impact of climate change. Adding, His
Majesty said the setting up of the office by FAO in the country will be
described as sweet melody, as it will benchmark the issue of food security in
ensuring that Eswatini benefitted in programmes run by the organisation. He also
mentioned that there were agreements that were signed by Eswatini in different
areas, to increase the prospects of commitments that needed to be upheld to
ensure food security. “We have assured the FAO director general that Eswatini
welcomes the setting up of the office and we have to look at land that will be
allocated for this initiative,” he said.