BY NONCEDO SHABANGU
MBABANE – Stakeholders from government, academia, civil society, and the private sector gathered at the Hilton Garden Inn on 28 August 2025. They met for a Stakeholder Engagement Workshop to shape the research agenda of the National Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Research (C3SR).
A National Priority
Delivering the opening remarks, Duduzile Nhlengethwa, Director of the Eswatini Meteorological Service, stressed that research must be practical and policy driven.
“Facts that are scientifically based can influence policy decisions and technical planning across government,” she said. “As a country, it is really important that we have a research agenda that assists us in all stages of planning.”
She explained that the Centre grew out of work supported by the National Adaptation Planning (NAP) process, with limited resources channelled through government and the University of Eswatini. She added that while funding remains a challenge, the foundation has been laid to mobilise more resources.
The Vision of the Centre
Coordinator of the Centre, Dr. Wisdom M.D. Dlamini, described the C3SR as filling a long standing gap. “There has been an absence of a central hub for coordinating climate change research and generating locally relevant data,” he said.
He outlined the vision of the Centre as “a Centre of Excellence providing innovative, interdisciplinary research and training in climate, environmental, and sustainability science towards Eswatini’s sustainable and resilient development.”
Dr. Dlamini warned that climate change is already undermining development goals. “These effects threaten the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the country’s commitments under the Paris Agreement,” he said.
He called for collaboration across all sectors. “The C3SR is timely and strategic. We invite partners to join us in driving a climate resilient future for Eswatini.”
Governance and Structure
Dr. Mthobisi M. Masilela, Acting Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, explained how the Centre is structured. It operates under an Executive Committee, chaired by the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and a Steering Committee that brings together government, business, and civil society stakeholders.
He said roles are clearly defined. The Coordinator leads daily operations and reporting. The Finance and Administration Officer manages budgets, procurement, and compliance. The Administrative Assistant supports logistics and internal communication. Research leaders head groups focusing on climate resilience, environmental modelling, and green finance.
Decision making follows a clear process from proposal initiation, to technical review, to Steering Committee approval, and then to implementation and monitoring.
Dr. Masilela noted that governance is guided by eight principles, alignment with national priorities, evidence based practice, inclusivity, accountability, efficiency, collaboration, risk awareness, and ethical integrity.
Building a Resilient Future
The workshop marked a critical step in aligning research with national priorities. By combining government commitment, academic expertise, and stakeholder participation, the Centre is set to become a hub for science, policy, and collaboration.
As Nhlengethwa reminded participants, research is not just for ministries or academia. “It is for the country, to provide information on climate change, sustainability, and the impacts on our economy and society.”
