‘ Media a pillar of democracy’
MBABANE – “The media is a pillar of democracy, and as such a resource for any society.”
As such, European Union ( EU) Ambassador to Eswatini Esmeralda Aragones said it ( media) must be encouraged to thrive, protect their sources and enjoy the right to criticise.
“To you the media, I want to state how wonderful it was for me to know and work with you for over the last four years. I don’t want to single out names, but all I want to say is that my team and I really appreciated all the coverage and support we received equally from all of you. Indeed, I will cherish this relationship I had with you for a very long time,” she said.
Aragones said Eswatini’s potential for growth was considerable.
Meanwhile, as ambassador, Aragones said she was lucky to have witnessed the country’s development over the last four years and was involved in major milestone achievements in the country, such as the SODV Act in 2018. “Women and youth empowerment have been a constant preoccupation for me and so have been human rights. Encouraging progress is part of the pragmatic cooperation between Eswatini and the EU in various fields,” she said.
The ambassador highlighted that with the cooperation assistance from the EU, Eswatini could invest into private sector development, sustainable agriculture development, as well as the strengthening of social protection and protection of human rights, notably via a robust civil society.
Discussions
The ambassador mentioned that diverging opinions and debate was wealth, as progress came through responsible discussions on the way forward. Aragones said when she reflected on the EU’s relations with Eswatini, she was encouraged and heartened by the progress that had been made.
The ambassador stated that there were still some attainable ahead. She expressed that she looked forward to the day when women in Eswatini enjoyed equal opportunities with men, when lesbians, gays, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex ( LGBTQI) people, and other minorities no longer faced discrimination.
She added that she also looked forward to when the youth had economic opportunities ahead of them. Aragones conveyed her appreciation and gratitude to many people in Eswatini for their respective contributions in the EU partnership and shared agenda.
The ambassador appreciated not only government, which had shown willingness to collaborate on the EU- funded projects, but also to EU’s development partners, the civil society and private sector of Eswatini.
She further commended all partners for their devotion, especially during the past year when the COVID- 19 pandemic had presented enormous challenges to everyone.