His Majesty King Mswati III has expressed confidence that Eswatini’s partnerships with the Republic of Korea, the Philippines and Czech Republic will pave the way for the development of social welfare programmes and the creation of job opportunities.
This comes after the three countries presented letters of credence to His Majesty at Lozitha Palace yesterday. This officially marked their ambassadors’ accreditation to the country.
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The newly appointed diplomats are Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Korea H.E. Kang Bokwon, Ambassador-designate of the Republic of the Philippines H.E. Noralyn Jubaira Baja and Ambassador-designate of the Czech Republic H.E. Tomas Ulieny.
Their presentation symbolises a renewed commitment to deepening diplomatic relations and cooperation between Eswatini and their respective nations.
His Majesty emphasised that the partnership would focus on advancing social welfare programmes and supporting sustainable development goals (SDGs), noting that in today’s globalised world, collaboration among nations is essential to achieving meaningful progress.
“No country in the world can achieve these goals without support from others.
“We are confident that through strong partnerships, job creation can be achieved. We look forward to seeing business partnerships between our countries and encourage investors from your nations to come to Eswatini.
“Likewise, we encourage Emaswati to explore trade and business opportunities in your countries,” said the king.
He further highlighted that Eswatini already enjoys positive cooperation with these nations, adding that moving forward, there will be opportunities to sit down and develop new programmes to enhance growth and development.
Grateful
“We are indeed grateful for the partnership in development.
“We need to build on what already exists and hope to see investors come and implement innovative programmes that will benefit our people,” he said.
The king assured the three ambassadors that they would receive the necessary support as they carry out their diplomatic duties.
He also extended his appreciation to the presidents and governments of the Republic of Korea, the Philippines and the Czech Republic for their continued friendship and collaboration.
Korea considering hosting a Korea-Africa minister’s meeting
KOREAN Ambassador to Eswatini, H.E. Kang Bokwon emphasised the enduring friendship and growing cooperation between the two nations, marking over half a century of diplomatic relations since 1968.
Bokwon highlighted the recent high-level exchanges, particularly the participation of His Majesty King Mswati III in the 2024 Korea–Africa Summit in Seoul, as a milestone that “brought bilateral ties to a new height” and paved the way for future collaborations.
Looking ahead he said Korea was considering hosting the Korea–Africa Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in 2026, an event the ambassador hoped to see the country’s active participation.
On the development front, Korea continues to support Eswatini through initiatives like the 2025 KOICA training programme on agricultural productivity and food security, designed to strengthen policy and capacity building for local officials.
He also highlighted Korea’s contributions over the past five years, including donations of ambulances, protocol vehicles and IT equipment to government institutions and the National University of Eswatini (UNESWA).
Tomorrow’s handover ceremony of five new ambulances to His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) is a symbol of the tangible progress in bilateral cooperation.
Beyond development, the Ambassador thanked Eswatini for supporting Korea’s international candidacies, including the UN Human Rights Council and ICAO Council and sought continued backing for Professor Paik Jin-Hyun’s 2026 International Court of Justice candidacy.
He reaffirmed his commitment:
“I will spare no effort in further strengthening the friendship and cooperation between our two countries.”
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