Mbabane, Eswatini – King Mswati III has applauded the Eswatini Nation for upholding the spirit of peace and unity, even when they do not see eye to eye.
The king made the remarks during the 55/55 Double Celebrations at Somhlolo National Stadium on Wednesday.
“The Nation has given me the gift of peace and I pray that the Nation may continue to uphold this great gift of peace so that the Nation may advance,” he said.
King Mswati also urged the nation to continue to uphold the values of the United Nations and the African Union, which call for silencing of guns by 2063.
“If the Nation continues to uphold these values, this will be in line with the ideals of the United Nations and the call by the African Union to silence guns by 2063. This is indeed important for Africa to develop and pursue the goals that it has set for itself,” he said.
The king also called on the nation to continue to develop its culture, which he said fosters a sentiment of compassion and neighborliness.
“Celebrations of this nature give us the opportunity to reflect on where we come from as a country. This year, we have seen this Kingdom in the spotlight for the right reasons and this has delighted us as Nation,” he said.
“The greatest recognition is by the World Bank that our GDP has grown in Africa as we have been ranked top five by the World Bank for our growing economy with our GDP growth of 7.43% and also in the ease of doing business. Also, the Kingdom has received recognition from the UN for being the first nation in the whole world to achieve the HIV/AIDS global target of 95-95-95.”
King Mswati concluded by saying that in order to maintain these achievements, the nation needs to put more effort in continuing to develop its nation, particularly in improving social welfare, health and education ensuring that those that need services must access them without a hassle. We must continue to create employment.”
