109 million Emalangeni for transformative projects boosting Eswatini-Italy partnership
The two projects reflect the two countries' commitment to enhancing sustainability and resilience and building a greener future.
Written by: Mohammed Omran
The government of Eswatini, in collaboration with the Italian government, has announced the launch of two transformative initiatives within the framework of cooperation between the two countries. These initiatives aim to enhance environmental sustainability, resilience, and secure a greener future, during an official ceremony presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Thuli Dludlu, in her capacity as Acting Prime Minister.
109 million Emalangeni for transformative projects boosting Eswatini-Italy partnership
The Deputy Prime Minister, in her capacity as Acting Prime Minister, Thelathilwe DLADLA, presided over the high-level handover ceremony of two transformative initiatives under the Eswatini-Italy cooperation program: the 1MW Solar PV System Project at RFM Hospital and the Early Warning Systems Enhancement Project.
The ceremony was attended by senior government officials, the Italian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Eswatini, representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), development partners, the private sector, RFM Hospital staff, and a number of stakeholders, to celebrate the completion of two projects with a total value of approximately 109 million Emalangeni (E109 million), in a new affirmation of the strong partnership between Eswatini and Italy.
The RFM Hospital's solar energy project is transforming healthcare delivery by enabling the hospital to operate significantly on clean energy. This contributes to reduced electricity costs, the phasing out of coal, lower carbon emissions, and a more stable electricity supply for vital services. Serving approximately 350,000 people, the hospital is setting a model for sustainable and climate-smart healthcare infrastructure.
The Early Warning Systems Enhancement Project has strengthened Eswatini's ability to monitor, forecast, and respond to climate-related hazards, including droughts, floods, storms, and lightning. The project relies on updating meteorological and hydrological networks, establishing automatic weather stations, and river flow measurement systems, in addition to developing forecasting capabilities. This contributes to protecting lives, livelihoods, and communities from the increasing impacts of climate change.
Thuli Dlaminla expressed her deep appreciation for the Italian government, stating, “Eswatini and Italy reaffirm their mutual friendship and shared support through their commitment to cooperative actions aimed at achieving sustainability, resilience, and prosperity. We are not gathering today to launch a program, but to affirm a shared vision between Eswatini and Italy, which is to protect our environment, empower our people, and secure a green and inclusive future for all.”
The acting Prime Minister also expressed her appreciation to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for its technical support and valuable partnership with the Government of Eswatini in implementing these transformative initiatives.
