BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – Eswatini and Mozambique are working on strengthening cooperation on the energy sector.
This was said by Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini yesterday on his Facebook page. The talk of cooperation on the energy sector was discussed when the PM met Mozambique’s High Commissioner to Eswatini, His Excellency Jorge Henrique da Costa Khalau.
The meeting took place at the Cabinet Offices in Hospital Hill, Mbabane. Mozambique has the largest power generation potential of all Southern African countries. Power Africa estimates that it could generate 187 gigawatts of power from coal, hydro, gas, wind, and solar.
Most of the power currently generated is from hydroelectric projects, however, natural gas, and renewable energy sources will have a significant impact in the future, with natural gas expected to provide 44 percent of total energy generation in the next decade.
The Mozambican Government aims to achieve universal electrification by 2030. It has made significant strides to achieve this goal reaching from 34 percent in 2021 to 48 percent in 2022.
The Prime Minister highlighted that even though formal diplomatic relations between Eswatini and Mozambique were only established in 2002, as neighbours, the countries have enjoyed very long and strong ties. “Our major area of cooperation has been in tourism, through intra-regional initiatives such as Triland and East3Route,” Dlamini said.
Dlamini further mentioned that they would form a technical team to engage with Mozambique with a view to facilitate further cooperation between the two countries. During the meeting, the High Commissioner informed the Prime Minister and his team at Cabinet that this year, Mozambique would be going to the polls for Presidential Elections and they would give Mozambicans in the Diaspora the opportunity to go and vote.
“We wish them successful and peaceful elections and urge all Mozambicans living in Eswatini to participate as we have many Mozambicans in the country,” the Prime Minister concluded.
