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Eswatini
SIKHUPHE - His Majesty King Mswati III saw Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema off at the King Mswati III (KMIII) International Airport yesterday afternoon.
Hichilema had been in the country for a three-day visit. The two heads of State had cordial greetings at the KMIII International Airport, where the visiting Statesman found the Monarch waiting to bid him farewell.
They proceeded to the holding room of the Royal Wing of the airport, before exiting to be treated by various regiments with their different traditional dances. At instances, the two leaders would be seen taking a pause on the red carpet to appreciate the different dances performed by the regiments. Their walk towards the red carpet was characterised by conversation and laughter.
At about 12:30pm, national anthems of the two countries were sung by the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) Brass Band before the visiting Statesman inspected the guard of honour.
Farewell
Thereafter, he proceeded to greet those who had come to bid him and his delegation farewell at the airport. These included Cabinet ministers, members of the Liqoqo Advisory Council and Emazinyane.
President Hichilema had been in the country with Cabinet ministers from his government in Commerce, Trade and Industry Chipoka Mulenga; Tourism Minister Rodney Sikumba and other government officials. Meanwhile, Eswatini and the Republic of Zambia signed two memorandums of understanding (MoU) in a variety of sectors.
Speaking during the State banquet, Chief Officer at the King’s Office, Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze, said the first MoU was on the establishment of a comprehensive consultation mechanism between the two countries. Gamedze said this MoU sought to establish a mechanism that would facilitate consultation and cooperation between the government of Eswatini and that of Zambia in all aspects of their bilateral relations. He said it also aimed to provide a structure for an exchange of views on regional and international issues of mutual interests. He said in particular, the mechanism would consider ways and means of promoting an enhancing cooperation between the two countries in political, economical, commercial, technological, scientific technical and cultural cooperation, among others.
This MoU was signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Thuli Dladla, and Zambia’s Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Sikumba.
Gamedze said the second MoU signed by the two governments was on tourism cooperation. He said this one sought to establish a legal framework for the commencement of institutional and business cooperation between the two countries in the tourism sector, based on equality of status reciprocal advantages.
“The cooperation between the parties in the tourism field will include tourism marketing, exchange of information, staff exchange and training of products.” In addition, the Acting High Commissioner of Eswatini to Zambia, Vuli Kunene, read the Joint Communiqué between His Majesty King Mswati III and President Hichilema, issued during the State visit of the president.
According to the communiqué, the two heads of State held bilateral talks at Lozitha Palace, where they exchanged views on respective national issues and prospects initiatives to strengthen bilateral cooperation. They also discussed regional and international affairs.