EU ambassador wishes Eswatini well
MBABANE – European Union ( EU) Ambassador to Eswatini Esmeralda Hernandez Aragones wishes for Eswatini to continue with i ts j ourney towards political reforms, as well as economic and social development.
Aragones expressed this during her farewell to Eswatini held at the Hilton Garden Inn on Wednesday.
She was ambassador of the EU to Eswatini for four years.
She will depart Eswatini and continue her career with the EU in Brussels.
The ambassador said the past four years had gone by in a heartbeat, like the sun setting and vanishing in seconds beyond the ridge.
However, she stated that it was about t he present and t he f uture t hat she would like to speak about. Aragones said the EU had been a close friend of Eswatini and t he most generous supporter of the economic and social development of t he country, and a friend in need was a friend indeed.
Reforms
“I wish for the country to continue the journey towards political reforms as well as economic and social development.
“When the goals are clear, the shared j ourney i s al l t he more enjoyable. Salani kahle,” she said.
Meanwhile, Aragones expressed that the famous novel ‘ The Leopard’ by Italian writer Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, prince of the small island of Lampedusa, closed on a famous line about the importance of change.
“E v e r y t h i n g m u s t c h a n g e f o r everything to remain the same, says the nephew of the fictional prince. To stay the peaceful and wonderful count ry i t has been known as, Eswatini must heed the call of its people,” the ambassador said.
She said emaSwati r equested t he opening of t he political space, t he unbanning of political parties, respect of media freedom and of human rights. Aragones mentioned that these were legitimate calls and shall only bring Eswatini forward.
Partners
The ambassador said the country’s major international partners; the EU, US and the UK, shared this view. She said the rule of law must be upheld and the perpetrators of the recent violence must be held accountable, regardless of their affiliation.