BY KING’S OFFICE CORRESPONDENTS
MALABO, EQUATORIAL GUINEA – His Majesty King Mswati III, chosen as Resource Mobilisation Champion of the Organisation of the African Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) rallied the 79 member countries to raise about 10 million Euros (approximately E198 million for the financially challenged organisation.
At the time the OACPS approached the King for his intervention to lead the resource mobilisation efforts last year, the Secretariat was faced with serious financial challenges threatening the existence of the organisation. As a result, His Majesty the King, ahead of the 11th Summit of the OACPS held here in Malabo wrote personal letters to all the members, urging them to contribute financial support other than just looking at its main partner, which is the European Union, to come to their rescue.
Speaking at the summit, the King first thanked the member States for entrusting him with the responsibility to be Champion of the Resource Mobilisation efforts with the aim of raising a specific target urgently needed by the Secretariat to carry out its objectives.
His Majesty the King stated that addressing outstanding obligations, including indebtedness to staff, was essential to restoring institutional credibility and operational stability. “We must invest in meaningful reforms, including the modernisation of our organisation, to ensure that it is efficient, fit for purpose and capable of delivering results for all member States,” he said. The King said the confidence reflects their collective commitment to strengthening the institutional resilience and financial sustainability of the OACPS.
“The question of resource mobilisation is not merely technical; it is profoundly political. It goes to the heart of our collective aspiration for economic sovereignty.
“Without sustainable, predictable and self-directed financing, our development priorities remain vulnerable to external pressures and global uncertainties,” the King said. He said a financially sound and self-sustainable organisation, gives credibility and confidence, not only to member States, but also existing stakeholders and potential partners. The King said resource mobilisation is a fundamental condition for asserting the organisation’s independence and shaping its own development trajectory. Stating that charity begins at home.
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... pledges E30m to oacps
MALABO, EQUATORIAL GUINEA – His Majesty the King, on behalf of the Kingdom of Eswatini, pledged 1.5 million (approximately E30 million) towards the Organisation of African Caribbean and Pacific States’ resource mobilisation drive.
The King made the pledge yesterday as the Champion of the Resource Mobilisation exercise at the 11th Summit of the OACPS held here. His Majesty the King stated that the Organisation urgently needs about 10 million Euros (approximately E200 million) to settle its debts and normalises it operations. The King said it is important that, as member States, they stand up and contribute financial resources for their own survival. The roundtable of member States led by His Majesty the King as Champion of the Resource Mobilisation head raised 12.8 million Euros, (approximately E252 million). Countries that made the pledges other than the kingdom were Equatorial Guinea with 5 million Euros, Angola with 3 million Euros, Tanzania and Mozambique contributed 2 million Euros in total. Many other member States His Majesty the King called from the floor, promised to touch base with their governments and will contact the OACPS Secretariat in Brussels to report how much they will be pledging.
The King appreciated the support demonstrated by the member State and said doing so encourages those stakeholders and partners who support the organisation when they notice that they are too concerned about the state of their affairs. “We have come to the stage where all of us as member states are going to make voluntary contributions in order to resuscitate the work of our organisation. “As the champion of resource mobilisation, the Kingdom of Eswatini is pleased to lead by example by contributing a sum of 1.5 million Euros to support the work of the OACPS,” the King said. He said if the organisation was to secure its future, it must act decisively on sustainable financing and made the two critical appeals. “First, we urge all member States that are in arrears to honour their financial obligations. Our organisation cannot function effectively if contributions are not paid. Meeting these obligations is not only a legal duty under our framework, but also a demonstration of commitment to our shared vision. “Second, we encourage all member states and partners to make voluntary contributions to strengthen the financial base of the organisation. We must contribute over and above our minimum obligations and embrace a culture of collective responsibility and solidarity,” the King said. His Majesty said the future of the OACPS depends on what they, as members, do now. “Let us transform this moment into a turning point, where commitments are translated into resources, and resources into results. Together, we can build a stronger, more resilient and more self-reliant OACPS,” he said.
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EU partnership key for OACPS - HMK
MALABO, EQUATORIAL GUINEA – His Majesty King Mswati III has called on the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) to strengthen and expand its long-standing partnership with the European Union (EU).
Delivering an address at the ongoing 11th OACPS Summit here, the King underscored the critical role the EU has played since the organisation’s inception in 1975, framing the relationship as a grounded economic partnership that has provided preferential market access and soft loans to developing nations.
He noted that support from the European Investment Bank has been instrumental in financing development across the three regions and stressed that such cooperation was never intended to be mere aid, but rather a sustainable framework to enhance development for future generations.
“We are grateful that the EU ensures that we enjoy preferential treatment and market access, which continues to change the lives of many peoples in our member States,” His Majesty said.
The King cited the Kingdom of Eswatini as a direct beneficiary of the partnership, pointing to EU-backed initiatives that have delivered critical infrastructure and social programmes. These include projects in agriculture, portable water supply, road infrastructure and education, alongside efforts to strengthen human resource development for women, youth and persons with disabilities. “For the Kingdom of Eswatini, cooperation with the European Union through the OACPS has produced tangible development benefits in economic and social welfare programmes,” he said. However, the King cautioned that the future of the OACPS depends on collective action in the face of mounting global challenges.
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