Talking about economic growth not enough – King
His majesty said among the agenda items during the forum in Turkiye, that were deliberated upon, was that of breaching the wealth gap between countries as well as within respective countries.
Says it is wrong to take sides and supply nations with firearms while in conflict.
LUDZIDZINI – His Majesty King Mswati III has emphasised on the need to put economic growth programmes into action as talking about them was not enough.
His Majesty the King said there was a need for governments to look into how economic growth programmes could be implemented through initiatives such as job creation, to boost the economy of the kingdom. The King also touched on the need to breach the wealth gap between and within countries.
This was during the King’s media briefing held at Ludzidzini Royal Residence yesterday, on his return from the third Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) that was held in Turkiye, formerly known as Turkey. The forum was attended by Heads of State and government, media, youth and delegates from numerous sectors.
The ADF seeks to find ways to better use diplomacy in the current state of affairs through an interactive and thought-provoking platform. The King commended the forum and relayed that the deliberations were a success while pointing out that Eswatini and Turkiye signed a number of bilateral agreements which were meant to benefit both countries moving forward.
He said among the agenda items during the forum, that were deliberated upon was that of breaching the wealth gap between countries as well as within respective countries. “Among the items on the agenda was the need to work together in an attempt to breach the wealth gap among and within countries themselves across the world. We extensively looked at how this could be addressed holistically,” said the King.
While responding to a question posed by Eswatini News pertaining to how diplomatic co-operation and unity between countries could contribute towards economic growth, His Majesty the King pointed out that this was among the agenda items that were deliberated on during the forum.
Integral
He said diplomacy was integral to breaching the gap between regions as currently there were regions that were more advanced than others such as those that were already at first world status, while there were those who still lagged behind.
He mentioned that improving trade and investment relations among all the regions aimed at creating job opportunities was crucial for ensuring economic growth. He elaborated that the world had just emerged from a difficult period as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and such engagements where countries came together to share ideas were a necessity.
His Majesty the King said during the forum, the Heads of State also looked at how multilateral relations and institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank could be roped in to assist countries more on economic growth. “If we can fix our economies as a whole, we can be able to reach our goals,” said the King. His Majesty the King further revealed that during the forum, they also looked at how the African Agenda 2063 which is Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future.
It is the continent’s strategic framework that aims to deliver on its goal for inclusive and sustainable development and is a concrete manifestation of the Pan-African drive for unity, self-determination, freedom, progress and collective prosperity pursued under Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance. Agenda 2063 is also Africa’s development blueprint to achieve inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development over a 50-year period.
Programmes
His Majesty the King emphasised on the need to put developmental programmes into action as talking about them was not good enough. “It is important to put these programmes and projects into action and ensure that they are implemented in order to be able to attain our developmental goals and economic growth targets,” added the King.
He further emphasised that job creation and ensuring a conducive environment for investment was critical to economic growth as more people would be employed and be able to contribute towards boosting the economy.
Meanwhile, The King said the forum was meant to look at how diplomacy could be used to resolve tension between countries. The King said the forum was also meant to dialogue and solving
conflicts and tensions in a peaceful manner. “Solving problems with violence and guns is not the right way and against our culture as emaSwati. As emaSwati, we believe that conflicts and disputes are solved through dialogue as we have done so over centuries,” he said.
The King further lamented the ongoing conflicts around the world, which have resulted in the destruction of infrastructure, displaced numerous people and claimed countless lives.
His Majesty the King said the forum was meant to promote unity among countries and remind all nations about the main goals behind the formation of the United Nations (UN) which was meant to solve conflict in a diplomatic manner, without the use of violence.
The King also stated that it was important for nations not to choose sides during conflicts, but remain united and promote dialogue between the nations where there was tension. “It is wrong to take sides and supply nations with firearms while in conflict. When addressing such, let us not be divided and pick sides,” said the King.
He also encouraged countries that were currently in conflict to resolve issues in a peaceful manner to avoid the loss of more lives and destruction to infrastructure which was eroding all the progress that had been made over the years.
He heaped praised on the forum and said the forum was a good initiative. He further mentioned that as Heads of State, they concurred that the forum was a necessity and should continue to ensure peace and prosperity around the world.