NEW YORK – Minister of Information, Communications and Technology Savannah Maziya has announced that young Emaswati can now aspire to travel to space, following the launch of a historic partnership involving the Kingdom, Google, Canadian space company Stardust, and SHE Powers Africa. The event, titled “Three Firsts for Africa,” positions Eswatini as a continental leader in technology and innovation.
Addressing His Majesty King Mswati III at the launch, Minister Maziya described herself as a dreamer and called on government officials to transform Eswatini into a First World nation. “Your Majesty, like you, I see beyond the horizon and challenge those in government to transform the Kingdom into a First World nation, a first on the African continent. I firmly believe that Emaswati youths will, in the not-too-distant future, be able to travel to space,” she said.
Minister Maziya said the Kingdom’s partnership with Stardust, led by CEO Jason Michaud, will support the creation of a national Space Agency. Michaud is known for advocating capacity building in emerging countries and has pledged to include collaboration with NASA to advance Eswatini’s space ambitions.
The minister further described discussions with Google Cloud, one of the world’s leading technology companies, aimed at accelerating the Kingdom’s digital economy. She mentioned initiatives such as a digital addressing system and public key infrastructure as part of efforts to integrate frontier technologies into government operations.
Acknowledging the challenges of reaching this stage, Maziya expressed appreciation for the support from international partners and thanked Tanya Singh, Global Head of Transformation Practice at Google (Alphabet), for attending the launch. She also stressed the importance of credible, experienced partners in realizing the Kingdom’s vision.
The UAE government, represented by Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot, praised the partnership with Eswatini and thanked King Mswati III for attending the event. Minister Maziya credited the King’s leadership as vital in positioning the Kingdom as a digital and technological hub, attracting global investment and innovation to Eswatini.
“This partnership marks a defining moment for Eswatini. We are charting a course that will see our young people explore frontiers once thought impossible, while also placing the Kingdom at the forefront of Africa’s digital and technological transformation,” Maziya added.
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