BY PHUMELELE MKHONTA
MBABANE- The talks of high poverty rate will soon be over in the country.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has made a committment to help end Eswatini’s poverty within five years. Making this commitment was UNDP Regional Director for Africa, also UN Assistant Secretary General, Ahunna Eziakonwa during the Eswatini Investment Forum held in New York over the past weekend.
The Investment Forum was hosted on the side-lines of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA77) and was part of Eswatini’s deliberate development agenda to reimagine the future of development and reshape its investment pathways. It was led by His Majesty King Mswati III.
Eziakonwa said she had been fully educated about the amazing country and she had absolutely no doubt that in five years, they could lift all of the Eswatini people out of poverty and they will get the work done.
“It is hard not to love Eswatini. When I arrived in 2011, I felt a sense of deep peace. I was struck by the beauty of the country, not only of the physical landscape but also of the humanity landscape, the beauty of the people- they were polite, happy, and patient.
“I asked myself why we still have an over 50 per cent poverty rate. It did not make sense to me. We have 16 UN and other international organisations that have been in Eswatini for 30 years. I am looking for islands of hope, where I can tell a good story. It looks like Eswatini came to mind, as I consider it a low-hanging fruit,” said the UNDP Regional Director.
Addressing His Majesty King Mswati III’s UNGA77 address, Eziakonwa said they heard in that speech a real hunger to move in an urgent way, not only to bring prosperity but to consolidate the peace that is already there in terms of the peacefulness of the people to ensure that it does not run away.
Let’s hope the is no hidden Agenda
Let’s hope the is no hidden Agenda..