…His Majesty calls for unity, stronger cooperation and shared solutions to global challenges at Africa–EU parliamentary gathering
BY MBONO MDLULI
EZULWINI– His Majesty King Mswati III has called for global peace, stronger international cooperation, and renewed commitment to human development, saying peace remains the foundation for solving the world’s most pressing challenges.
The King made the remarks while addressing delegates from Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific (ACP) and the European Union gathered in Eswatini for the first Africa–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly held at the Palazzo International Convention Centre (ICC) in Ezulwini.
‘Peace is the recipe for mankind’s progress’
His Majesty said peace must remain the central priority of global societies, arguing that it unlocks opportunity and allows nations to focus on development challenges.
“This mankind whose all live in peace… as human beings of the world, this is one of the recipes that we really need to promote amongst ourselves,” King Mswati III said.
“When people are living in peace, there are a lot of opportunities that come up. You are able to focus on many issues and many problems which confront mankind.”
He said global peace enables governments and societies to address critical issues such as job creation, social development and inequality.
“If you go to many places, there are still a lot of social problems – job creation, looking after each other, gender equality, ensuring that we all support each other without letting down the other,” the King said.
He further emphasised the importance of inclusion and care for vulnerable groups.
“If it goes through disability, we must take good care of them and understand,” he said.
Call for collective human responsibility
His Majesty urged nations and citizens of the world to work together in planning and solving shared challenges.
“All this needs us as human beings to always come together, plan and strategise and see how we can all succeed,” he said.
“At the end of the day, what we want is to say: mission accomplished.”
He said global cooperation should be guided by the pursuit of shared prosperity and human dignity.
Strong praise for EU–ACP partnership
King Mswati III also praised the long-standing partnership between the ACP countries and the European Union, describing it as a key driver of development across multiple regions.
He highlighted that the cooperation dates back many years and has grown significantly over time.
“This partnership comes back many years ago,” the King said. “I remember when some EU member states were not 27… today the EU is 27 members.”
He commended the EU for consistently recognising ACP countries as important development partners.
“Whatever they were doing, they never forgot that these countries and regions are important partners,” he said.
Development impact across regions
His Majesty said the partnership has delivered tangible benefits in the form of grants, concessional loans and preferential market access.
“We have launched a lot of support. Many countries have benefited in the form of grants, concessional loans and preferential markets,” he said.
He noted that communities across developing regions have experienced significant improvements in livelihoods.
“In the past, many families had nothing. Today, many households have something to offer their children and loved ones,” the King said.
Learning from global cooperation models
The King compared African regional integration efforts with the European Union’s development journey, noting the importance of learning from successful global models.
“We are fortunate because we do not have to reinvent the wheel. We only need to duplicate success stories and implement them in our countries,” he said.
He said Africa, the Pacific and the Caribbean should continue to benefit from shared experiences and economic cooperation.
Call to experience Eswatini’s hospitality
His Majesty also encouraged visiting delegates to explore Eswatini and experience its culture and hospitality.
“Give yourself time to visit every corner of this country and see as many places as you can,” he said.
“You will appreciate a nation that is very welcoming, very humble, down to earth, and above all very educated.”
Conclusion
King Mswati III’s address positioned Eswatini as a strong advocate for peace, inclusive development and international cooperation, while reinforcing the importance of the EU–ACP partnership in addressing global challenges and improving livelihoods across developing regions.
