CAPE TOWN, SA — Recognising the isolation and unique challenges faced by students living far from home, the King has called for the presence of an Eswatini liaison officer in Cape Town.
While Eswatini’s High Commission and consular offices are situated in Pretoria and Johannesburg respectively, His Majesty tasked officials with establishing a dedicated liaison presence in this city.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has been tasked with providing updates on this mandate, which will include the exact location where students and other emaSwati can easily access essential consular services, including passport-related needs.
“When problems arise, you need an office nearby,” His Majesty noted, emphasizing that academic pursuits should never be derailed by administrative hurdles.
He urged the students to focus on their studies, leave a good name at their institutions of learning, and make their lecturers proud.
He informed the students that he had so far received positive reports about emaSwati students, which he described as commendable. “I hope that after my visit here and meeting you, you will go back and double your efforts,” he urged.
The King said that when they return home after attaining their degrees and postgraduate titles, they ought to be ready to deploy their global expertise towards developing Eswatini.
He also noted that they should take it upon themselves to let him know of their return and what they had achieved.
“The country is in great need of various skills and experiences. Often the best form of experience is that which is gained by learning how things are done in other countries,” he said.
He also commended the students for not allowing the inclement weather to affect their studies, recalling how he used to have a difficult time waking up to the snow while schooling in England.
He noted how the students had become accustomed to the weather, as some had arrived clad in traditional attire despite the rain and wind. Temperatures stood at 15 degrees Celsius yesterday (Sunday).
The courtesy luncheon followed His Majesty’s attendance at the 9th Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Summit in Cape Town.
The King hailed the summit as a major success for regional economic evolution, adding that it will create job opportunities that the students will need when they enter the job market.
To support this new direction, SACU member states have resolved to establish a monumental E5 billion development fund intended to kickstart critical regional development projects and stimulate mass employment creation.
Key outcomes of the 9th SACU Summit include a shift in focus from passive revenue-sharing models to joint infrastructure investments, alongside efforts to align SACU’s strategic goals with those of SADC and the African Union to enhance continental integration and create “the Africa we want.”
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