BY KWANELE TSABEDZE
MBABANE – “His Majesty’s Government is well pleased with the recognition.”
This was Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo’s response to Eswatini being awarded the Best Urban Development Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Initiative of the Year in the 2022 Africa NDC Investment Awards.
Eswatini will be officially given the award during the NDC Investment Summit and Awards Ceremony, to take place on November 8, 2022 at the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27), in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
“His Majesty’s Government is well pleased with the recognition and believes that indeed, it will open business opportunities for those who are looking at investing in the country and those emaSwati who are interested in investing outside. This recognition also says much about how the kingdom is doing certain things the right way but oftentimes antagonized by certain forces. We are winning against them at all costs and claiming our rightful place,” said the Government Spokesperson about the award.
Eswatini is the first ever winner of this award by the African NDC Investment Awards for its SURE Initiative – which stands for the Strengthening Urban Resilience in Eswatini through climate proofing green, grey and blue Infrastructure initiative. The initiative is designed to solve the problem of flash flooding in urban areas, while having other positive externalities for the environment and the society.
The adjudication panel for the awards comprised of eminent personalities such as Kandeh Yumkella, Former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Dr. Hubert Danso, Chairman of Africa investor Group.
