The Kingdom of Eswatini Acting Prime Minister, Senator Themba Masuku paid a courtesy call on His Majesty King Letsie III and the Prime Minister, Dr Moeketsi Majoro on Thursday.
This was part of his three-day visit to the Mountain Kingdom to discuss how the two Kingdoms can work cooperatively to grow their small economies as a recovery strategy from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing the media after his meeting with the Prime Minister, Dr Majoro, Masuku said Lesotho and Eswatini share common historical linkages that have subsisted for centuries, and they also share unique characteristics of being the two smallest landlocked countries in Southern Africa.
He said they are two of the remaining countries which have upheld the system of Monarchy on the African continent, the third being Morocco, saying they further have a long history of cooperation in the area of education.
Senator Masuku recalled that this educational history dates back to the founding of the Pius XII College at Roma which was later named the University of Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland (now the National University of Lesotho), saying the two countries continue to enjoy cordial tripartite relations with the Republic of Botswana under the auspices of the Institute of Development Management (IDM) which provides training, research and consulting services.
It is against this background that the two Prime Ministers believe that the two countries need to cooperate and share notes on how well their economies can be enhanced for the betterment of their people.
Senator Masuku further highlighted a need for both governments to understand each other’s challenges so that they can support each other whenever there is a need.
Sharing his sentiments, Dr Majoro said the partnership between the two countries has a number of advantages, noting the simplicity of communication that it comes with, due to the fact that the two are on the same level of development and aspire for exactly the same thing, which is their nations.
Again, he said the two countries can cut the necessity of a lot of diplomatic routes to engage in talks so that negotiating for both countries becomes easy.
Dr Majoro further noted that Lesotho and Eswatini have mutual interests that bring them together in Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and Southern African Development Community (SADC), saying have agreed to always have side discussion and sharing of notes before going to the multi-lateral platforms.
The Eswatini Prime Minister’s three-day visit will include a tour to Mohale dam.
Source: LENA 13/05/2021