MBABANE – Eswatini’s ambitious programme aimed at linking skills development to job creation under the Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Programme (MNWAP) is gaining momentum.
Although early implementation challenges, particularly around procurement and budgeting, continue to pose risks. This is according to the latest African Development Bank (AfDB) implementation progress and results report (IPR) on the Integrating Skills and Jobs in the Mkhondvo-Ngwavuma Water Augmentation Programme (ISJ-MNWAP), which shows that the initiative remains on track to meet its development objectives despite slow initial disbursements and administrative bottlenecks.
The programme, financed through technical assistance funding amounting to UAC 1 million (approximately E27 million), is designed to enhance youth employability by integrating training opportunities directly into large-scale infrastructure projects. It targets thousands of young emaSwati, particularly in the Shiselweni Region, through technical training, entrepreneurship development and work-based learning.
At the time of the review, only 11.44 per cent of the total funding had been disbursed, with over 88 per cent still outstanding. However, the report notes that this is not unusual at the early stages of project implementation, particularly where procurement processes delay the rollout of activities.
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