Chargé d’ Affaires Marc Weinstock delivering his remarks at Ejubukweni School Handover CeremonySanibonani. The Honorable Minister of Education and Training The Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Training U.S. Military Group Chief, Lt. Col. Norman Wilson and his team Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines The Regional Education Officer The Chief’s representative Community leaders Inspectors Present Headteacher and teachers present Members of the media house, police officers Parents and Students of Ejubukweni Primary School All protocol observed. It is an honor to stand with you at this handover ceremony, which marks the completion of a significant investment in the future of Eswatini. This moment is about far more than bricks and mortar. It is about restoring something that was taken — the safe, dignified learning environment that every child deserves. In January 2021, Tropical Cyclone Eloise swept through this region and left a trail...

For seven years the Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities group has fought the Swazi government for its citizens to have the right to freedom of association. But this is a hard fight against a government and king who believe LGBTI people have no place in the kingdom and who are trying to restrict the power of civil society organisations. In Eswatini’s second biggest city of Manzini, Sisanda Mavimbela is once again preparing for court. As the Co-Director of Programmes and Advocacy for Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities (ESGM), a group which works to advance LGBTI rights, Sisanda has become all too familiar with the ritual of gathering documents, revisiting judgments, speaking to lawyers and asking the courts, again, to affirm what should never have been in dispute: that everyone has a right to freedom of association. ESGM has been fighting in the courts for this constitutional right since 2019, when...

China’s tariff announcement and the African response In February 2026, China announced that 53 African countries can now sell their goods to China without paying any import taxes. This new rule starts on May 1. President Xi Jinping sent a message about this to African leaders at the African Union summit in Ethiopia. He said China made this choice because global trade is splitting up, and China wants to do more business with Africa. The head of the African Union, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, supported the idea. He said the plan came at the perfect time because African economies are struggling right now. Many other African leaders agreed. They saw this as a great chance to sell more goods to China, which has the second-biggest economy in the world. However, the new rule left out one African country. That single country is Eswatini. Missing out on this massive trade deal is...

Eswatini’s Teaching at the Right Level pilot reached nearly 1,900 learners in 30 primary schools, helping children strengthen literacy and numeracy through teaching matched to their skill levels. The story shows how formative assessment, interactive instruction, and early gains are shaping plans to scale foundational learning support nationwide. Nine-year-old Thandeka sits at the front of her classroom in rural Eswatini, tracing letters on a piece of paper. A few weeks ago, she could not read a single word. Today, she sounds out simple words, pausing between syllables before looking up at her teacher with a quiet sense of pride. Around her, some children are counting using bottle tops, while others read aloud from word cards. Each group is working on something different, learning at a pace that matches their current skills. For students like Thandeka, this small shift is opening the door not only to learning but also to future...