…As Mozambique and Eswatini positively assess cooperation on shared river basins
BY PHUMELELE MKHONTA
MBABANE– A promise is being kept!
Through intensely cooperating with Mozambique, His Majesty King Mswati III’s promise for Eswatini to support the country has been kept.
The ties between the two countries have been strengthened through Mozambique’s Minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources Carlos Mesquita in the country, which reaped fruitful conversations and agreements.
The Eswatini Head of State made the promise to strengthen ties with Mozambique about a month ago, when making deliberations during SADC Executive Secretary His Excellency Elias Mpedi Mogosi’s visit in the country.
“Despite the impact of COVID-19, Eswatini has taken a responsibility in playing a part in assisting Mozambique and the support of the country where need be,” the King said.
In the meantime, Acting Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Jabulani Mabuza met with his Mozambican counterpart last week, Honourable Carlos Alberto Fortes Mesquita, who was in the country to strengthen cooperation between the two countries on matters of shared river basins.
While in the country, the Mozambique minister and his delegation toured strategic water infrastructure in the country and discuss matters of solidifying the relation that exists between the two countries.
Mabuza said the cooperation between the Kingdom of Eswatini and the Republic of Mozambique had a long history of over 45 years of strong relations and good neighbourliness dating even beyond the year 1976 when the Umbeluzi Agreement was signed by Ministers responsible for water in the two countries.
“The cooperation of our counties on water issues is closely related and linked to the sharing of the water resources of Umbeluzi River. This is a very unique and important river for all of here present in that it supplies water to the capital cities of both countries.
“Eswatini remains committed to the continued cooperation and collaboration with the Republic of Mozambique and to be guided by the regional instruments of cooperation including the SADC protocol on shared water courses. Eswatini is committed to honour the bilateral agreements between the two States,” said the Acting Minister of Natural Resources and Energy. Minister Mesquita said as they knew, the relations between Mozambique and Eswatini transcend the mere sharing of borders, as their people shared socio-cultural, linguistic and brotherhood values.
