BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation has launched the very first Diaspora Affairs Unit in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
The unit was officially presented by the Principal Secretary (PS), Newman Ntshangase, who said it would be responsible for strengthening the government’s capacity to engage the diaspora for social and economic development. It will be based at the ministry’s offices.
Ntshangase said the diaspora engagement initiative came about at an opportune time, as the COVID-19 pandemic exposed weaknesses in the ministry’s data collection, including a comprehensive understanding of Eswatini’s diaspora community.
“The ministry has witnessed the capacitation of its officers and other officials from relevant ministries as represented here today. Such training has ranged from migration development and diaspora engagement, benchmarking visits to Ghana, among others. And they have all been incredibly eye-opening,” he shared.
As part of the project, the IOM donated office equipment and furniture worth E170 600, that will be used by the Diaspora Affairs Unit within the ministry’s International Cooperation Section.
IOM Chief of Mission -Jeremias Mendes, said the project started in October 2021, where a meet and greet workshop was held in South Africa to brief emaSwati living in South Africa about the diaspora engagement initiative.
He said the project facilitated a study tour to the Republic of Ghana, to enhance the understanding and exposure of the Eswatini delegation to some of the good practices, experiences and lessons learnt in their engagement with the Ghanaian diaspora.
At its inception, the project supported a diaspora skills mapping exercise intended to help the government understand the demographic profile of the diaspora, their interest and willingness to engage with the government for national development.
The newly-launched diaspora unit will engage all emaSwati, including the ones who are in exile.
