The Cotonou Partnership Agreement has been regulating the relationship between the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) and the European Union (EU) since it came into force in the year 2000. The Agreement will expire in the year 2020 as it was scheduled for a 20 year period. In this regard, it provides for the parties to enter into negotiations towards a replacement Agreement 18 months prior to its expiry. As is spelled out in the provisions; negotiations have commenced.
Negotiations of the Foundation level of the Agreement are underway, and preliminary consultations towards approaches to the regional protocols of the Agreement have been held. The first consultation, which was between the Pacific Member States of the ACP and the EU Chief Negotiator, was held in March 2019 in the Pacific Region. Thereafter were consultation between the Caribbean Member States of the ACP and the EU Chief Negotiator in the Caribbean, in April 2019.
The Kingdom of Eswatini was elected by African Member States of the ACP to Chair the Central Negotiating Group to negotiate the Africa Regional Protocol. The Kingdom of Eswatini hosted the High-Level ACP Africa-EU Protocol Regional Consultations on the 3rd of May 2019 in Ezulwini, Kingdom of Eswatini. It was attended by African Ministers, Brussels-based Ambassadors, African Regional Economic Organizations, mainly the African Union, COMESA, and UEMOA; a well as other dignitaries.
The High-Level ACP Africa-EU Protocol Regional Consultation was officially opened by the His Excellency the Right Honourable Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini Mr. Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini and Co-Chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mrs. Thulisile Dladla and the European Union Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development and Mr. Neven Mimica.
During the sessions, the parties exchanged Strategic Priority Areas, with the African Priorities being presented by the various African Ministers present. The Commissioner presented the EU’s Strategic Priorities. The Africa Region Consultation with the EU was a success as evidenced by the considerable areas of convergence between the Parties’ views relating to their Strategic Priority Areas.
The African States Member to the ACP, led by the Kingdom of Eswatini are committed to negotiating a document based on the African Union Agenda 2063 and the Joint Africa Europe Strategy in an effort to eradicate poverty and enrich the lives of the people of Africa.
The Brussels Mission recently collaborated with the Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority in a quest to garner German investment to the Kingdom of Eswatini. This event was held as a result of discussions that commenced in August of 2018 during the presentation of credentials by Ambassador Mngomezulu to the Federal Republic of Germany.
Discussions with the Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag, DIHK; the central organisation for 79 German Chambers of Commerce and Industry were held in Berlin in August 2018, and therein a proposal towards an event where Eswatini organisations’ representatives would make a presentation to German stakeholders on the investment opportunities available in Eswatini, made.
The event, the first of its kind was held on 30 April 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa, under the theme ‘Eswatini is open for business’. It was initiated by the Brussels Mission in the Berlin discussions mentioned above, and thereafter communication towards implementation facilitated between the Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority and the Southern African-German Chamber of Commerce.
The event was co-hosted by the two organisations, and was a success. It was attended by more than 35 companies, and the three counterparts (Brussels Mission, Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority and Southern African-German Chamber of Commerce,) are conducting follow-up discussions with the participants regarding interest in investing in Eswatini.
Speakers at the event included the Minister for Commerce, Industry and Trade – Hon. Manqoba Khumalo, the Chief Executive Officer of the Southern African-German Chamber of Commerce – Mr. Matthias Boddenberg , the Ambassador of Eswatini to the Kingdom of Belgium and Mission to the European Union, Mr Sibusisiwe Mngomezulu, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority – Ms Hanalora Strydom and the Investment Promotion Manager of the Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority, Mr. Martin Masilela. The Eswatini delegation comprised other individuals including the Chief Executive Officer of the Eswatini Industrial Development Company, Mr Phiwayinkosi Ginindza, and Ms Xolile Ngwenya the First Secretary at the Eswatini Mission in Belgium