Statement of the UN Resident Coordinator, Ms Nathalie Ndongo-Seh at the Joint National Steering Committee (J-NSC) High Level Meeting

Hon. Minister of Economic Planning and Development,

Principal Secretaries,

UNCT,

Government Officials,

Development Partners,

Civil Society,

Representatives of the Private Sector,

Academia,

UN Colleagues,

Media Houses,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

A very good morning to you all. I am humbled and truly grateful to be here today, at the Joint National Steering Committee High Level Meeting to review the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2021-2025. What a momentous occasion it is, as we continue to face immense challenges in our efforts to create a “just, prosperous and resilient Eswatini where nobody is left behind.”

Today’s gathering is a reflection of the commitment, dedication and perseverance of the Government of Eswatini, development partners, civil society, the private sector, academia and the media to contributing to this collective vision represented by the UNSDCF 2021-2025.

On behalf of the United Nations Family in Eswatini, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to you all for your unwavering commitment to ensuring a better Eswatini for all EmaSwati. I would also like to acknowledge and thank the Hon. Minister of Economic Planning and Development, whose excellent leadership and dedication through his Ministry, have proved essential in all progress made towards Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.

Established in 2019, the Joint National Steering Committee plays the critical role of providing strategic guidance and overseeing the development and implementation of the UNSDCF 2021-2025. The Cooperation Framework, which came into effect on 1st January 2021, having been signed by Cabinet and UN Country Team in October 2021, serves as the Kingdom of Eswatini’s main development tool to achieve Agenda 2030, as does it represent the offer of the United Nations to His Majesty’s Government and the people of our nation.

As you are aware, the UNSDCF 2021-2025 is organised under three priority areas, namely: Prosperity, People and Planet. Through its four outcomes, the instrument seeks to contribute to: (i) Promoting Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Growth, (ii) Investing in Human Resources and Social Development; (iii) Accountable Governance, Justice and Human Rights and (iv) Strengthening Natural Resource Management, Climate Resilience and Environmental Sustainability.

It is under these four important outcomes that the Results Groups, which are co-led by Government and UN agencies and widely supported by development partners, CSOs, the private sector, academia and more; have diligently worked to monitor, evaluate and enable progress towards the collective vision represented by the UNSDCF 2021-2025. Significantly, the Results Groups sought the challenging task of establishing Joint Work Plans, which were finalized in February this year through extensive collaboration, to guide our operations and delivery to the people of Eswatini in a spirit of solidarity, generosity and services rendered to others, and in particular the most vulnerable: women and girls, the elderly, the youth, widows, persons with disabilities, migrants, victims of trafficking and many others.

However, the implementation of the Joint Work Plans has been severely impacted by the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters such as Tropical Storm Eloise and indeed, the recent civil unrest. Our collective strength and resilience continue to be tested as the environment in which we operate remains exceptionally volatile. Maintaining flexibility and agility in these testing times is critical to the success of our response.

We must therefore focus on creative ways to collectively ensure the recovery of the Kingdom of Eswatini and enable a more equal, more just, equitable, inclusive, sustainable, and healthier nation.

Efforts such as the Cyclone Eloise Rapid Needs Assessment, to assess the impact of the Cyclone on the lives and livelihoods of our most vulnerable people, conducted by the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) and WFP, are more important than ever before. In this regard, I wish to extend my appreciation to UNDP and NDMA, under the leadership of the Hon. Deputy Prime Minister and the UNRC, for the immense progress made in developing the COVID-19 Rapid Needs Assessment (CRNA), such which is exceptionally necessary at this time.

It is with great pleasure that today, 4th October 2021, the UN Country Team in Eswatini, through the PPSG and M&E group, is commencing the process of updating Eswatini’s Common Country Analysis (CCA). The CCA informs and indeed, provides the foundation of the implementation of the UNSDCF 2021-2025; assisting in monitoring changes which take place in the development landscape, as well as anticipating those to come.

The immediate needs and in turn, the capacity-building needs of our most vulnerable EmaSwati continue to be the priority of our development efforts: WFP successfully conducted a Vulnerability Assessment on Food Insecurity in Eswatini, as were insightful and numerous Food Systems Summit Dialogues hosted with various stakeholders in the food industry to inform the Food Systems Summit 2021, hosted at UN Headquarters last month. Much appreciation is extended to the Ministry of Agriculture for the successful conduct of these significant and informative dialogues.

The United Nations is humbled to have supported national efforts in COVID-19 mitigation, response, and recovery in Eswatini, to a value that exceeds USD 17 million. This support is ongoing and will continue beyond our triumph against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UN continues to support the return of peace to our beautiful nation, through constant engagements to address the civil unrest with the Government, regional organizations (SADC, EU), civil society organizations, UNHQ, development partners (US, UK, Taiwan), political parties, the media, youth, and women groups, concerned citizens, and others.

The United Nations Family is working on improving joint resource mobilization efforts, as well as the Financing and Funding Framework. We also look forward to strengthening the functioning of the Results Groups through increased collaboration, as well as strengthening our growing partnerships with our valued partners in the media, private sector and civil society.

As we enter our tenth month of implementation of the UNSDCF 2021-2025, today’s J-NSC Meeting comes at a pertinent time. We are grateful to review the progress on the implementation of the Framework, particularly its Joint Work Plans, as well as explore the challenges, lessons-learned and opportunities, with you all, to enhance the implementation of this instrument.

We remain guided by the UN’s five principles: human rights approach, gender equality, environmental sustainability, results-based management and capacity development, as we seek to ensure that Eswatini is on track to achieve social, economic and environmental transformation in this Decade of Action.

I encourage you all, in this challenging time of COVID-19, to focus on where we might improve coordination, collaboration and in turn, strengthen our partnerships, for it is only in solidarity that we will overcome COVID-19.

On behalf of the UN Family in Eswatini, I would like to thank you; our valued partners, for your dedication and perseverance in our collective efforts to ensure a “just, prosperous and resilient Eswatini where nobody is left behind.”

I look forward to a fruitful meeting today.

I thank you.