Statement by Mr. Henrik Franklin UNDP Resident Representative at the Inception Meeting and Stakeholder Consultation Workshop for Eswatini’s NDC 3.0 Revision Process

Programme Director;

Principal Secretary, Ministry Tourism & Environmental Affairs;

Director of Meteorology;

Chief Economist; 

Senior Government Officials;

Members of the Diplomatic Corps

Distinguished Stakeholders; 

UN colleagues;

Members of the media;

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Sanibonani

Introduction 

I am pleased to join you this morning for this Inception Meeting, which officially marks the start of Eswatini’s journey to revise and strengthen its climate ambition through its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) 3.0.

Climate change is a significant and multifaceted challenge, along with biodiversity loss and pollution.  No human being nor country are excepted from this Triple Planetary Crisis. As the United Nations Secretary General has said ‘we need all hands on deck’. The fact that you are all here today means that you are committed to this critical agenda.   

Allow me to extend our deepest gratitude to the Government of the United Kingdom through its Department of Energy Security and Net Zero for its generous financial support $350,000 for this critical process. The United Kingdom is supporting 18 other countries through the NDC Partnership and the UNDP Climate Promise for review of NDCs.

Allow me to express my sincere appreciation to the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs for convening this important workshop and for its continued leadership and commitment in advancing Eswatini’s climate agenda. This gathering marks an important milestone as we collectively take stock and look ahead to further strengthening the country’s climate ambitions.                       

Programme director,

Since the global adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, which entered into force in November 2016, countries have committed to submitting their NDCs every five years. These NDCs reflect national efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build climate resilience, and mobilize the financial support—targeted at USD 100 billion annually—to assist developing countries in achieving their goals.

However, the first Global Stock Take concluded at COP28 in 2023 revealed a sobering reality: the world remains off track to meet the Paris Agreement’s long-term temperature goal, as well as critical targets on adaptation and climate finance.

Today, as we embark on the process of revising Eswatini’s second NDC –  NDC 2.0 – and launch the process of the third NDC – NDC 3.0 –  we are faced with a critical opportunity, and perhaps the final one, to align global emissions with a pathway that limits warming to 1.5°C. It is therefore imperative that we collectively raise our ambition and action during this process.

This process is not just about submitting a document. It is about making hard trade-offs, taking bold decisions, and driving collective ambition—so that Eswatini can build resilience, unlock financing, and compete in a rapidly greening global economy. How about setting the ambition to become the first carbon neutral country in Africa?

Programme director

Eswatini submitted its second NDC in October 2021, demonstrating enhanced ambition and a strong commitment to a low-carbon and climate-resilient future. This updated NDC introduced an economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 5% by 2030 compared to a business-as-usual scenario. With adequate external financing, this ambition could increase to 14%, representing a reduction of approximately 1.04 million tons of GHG emissions by 2030.

Building on this momentum, the Government of Eswatini launched its NDC Implementation Plan in April 2023 with support from the NDC Partnership. This Plan provides a strategic framework to translate climate commitments into tangible actions across sectors.

I am pleased to note that one of the key objectives of today’s engagement is to reflect on the implementation progress of NDC 2.0, identify areas of strength and weakness, and gather input on how to further enhance NDC 3.0.

Today’s meeting is not just for government. This must be an all-of-society approach. From CEOs and municipal planners to civil society leaders and youth innovators, everyone has a role to play.

The success of this process hinges on timely access to data and cooperation across sectors. We must leverage on artificial intelligence and other digital tools to leap frog in our solutions. 

You—sector experts—are the custodians of the information and ambition that will shape this NDC.

In a carbon-constrained world, economic competitiveness will increasingly depend on low-emission production. The EU and other markets are already prioritizing green imports. Eswatini must be ready to seize these opportunities.

NDC 3.0 is as much about adaptation as it is about mitigation. We must promote climate-smart agriculture, including through shade nets, drip irrigation and drought tolerant seed varieties, strengthen early-warning systems that can better predict the increased frequency of hail storms and ensure sustainable water management, including through nature-based solutions and effective waste management that prevents our drainage systems from clogging and causing floods. With funding from the Italian Government, UNDP has supported Eswatini to strengthen its early warning system and is working with other UN agencies like FAO, WFP and IFAD to promote climate smart agriculture.     

Eswatini’s future must include a just energy transition—one that leaves no one behind while expanding access to clean, affordable energy. In this context, UNDP, with funding from the Government of Italy and in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, has provided the RFM Hospital in Manzini with a 1MW solar power facility. In addition, with funding from the European Union and in partnership with the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, is currently supporting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, which are the engine of the Kingdom’s economy, to access and transition towards renewable energy. Through the GEF-financed mini-grid project UNDP is also providing of-grid renewable energy solutions to rural households and businesses.      

We must ensure that our investment planners incorporate climate considerations, for which UNDP through the NDC Partnership has supported the updating of the Government of Eswatini’s Planners Manual. 

Climate action needs capital. We must ensure NDC 3.0 is not only ambitious—but also investable.

That is why UNDP has supported the Central Bank of Eswatini in developing a green finance taxonomy—a critical step to align financial flows with climate priorities and attract sustainable investment.

We need to ensure that the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Eswatini, private banks and financial institutions, insurance companies, international finance institutions are increasingly involved, as we develop and implement innovative sustainable financing mechanisms and instruments, including to re-risk (eg. through guarantees and blended finance) and crowd in domestic and foreign financing, for example through green bonds.  

Programme director,

Under the coordination of the UN Resident Coordinator and the technical leadership of UNDP, the UN family will provide technical and strategic support to the Government of Eswatini throughout this NDC revision and implementation journey. I am glad to see several UN agencies represented here today. 

Through UNDP’s Climate Promise, which has supported 85% of developing countries—including Eswatini—we bring global experience, technical expertise, and tools that have already helped countries enhance their NDCs with higher ambition, better data, and stronger links to national development. 

Special appreciation also to my UNDP Country Office colleagues, notably Mangaliso Mohammed and Zanele Thabede, for spearheading our engagement on this important process, in close collaboration with our Climate Promise Team based in the Regional Service Center for Africa in Addis Ababa.

Programme director, 

As I conclude, let me reaffirm UNDP’s and the wider UN Eswatini’s steadfast commitment to supporting Eswatini as it advances its climate goals. Through strategic partnerships, technical expertise, and global experience, we will continue to work hand-in-hand with the Government and all stakeholders to ensure that NDC 3.0 is not only more ambitious but also actionable and inclusive. The workshop that brings us together today is part of this process.

A word of appreciation to the local and international consultants who have been onboarded. Your technical expertise will be central to ensuring that this NDC 3.0 process is grounded in evidence, is gender-responsive, and aligns with national goals and international standards.

Time is not on our side. The NDC 3.0 must be submitted ahead of COP30 in Brazil in November 2025. But if we act decisively, together, we can raise ambition while laying the groundwork for inclusive green growth.

On behalf of UNDP, I reaffirm our full commitment to walk this journey with the Government and all stakeholders—to ensure that Eswatini’s NDC 3.0 is ambitious, inclusive, implementable, and fully financed. 

Together, we can contribute meaningfully to the global fight against climate change while advancing sustainable development and resilience for all emaSwati.

Siyabonga Kakhulu