Government, in partnership with the European Union, has reaffirmed its commitment to equipping young people with the skills, opportunities, and resources they need to become active drivers of the nation’s sustainable development agenda.
PM Dlamini Praises Youth as Partners in Change
Speaking during the International Youth Day commemoration held at Gege Inkhundla last Thursday, Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini praised the country’s young people for their energy, creativity, and role as partners in change.
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He said government’s focus was on aligning all youth-targeted investments with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ensure measurable progress.
“Whether it is quality education, decent work, health and well-being, or climate action, our youth are central to achieving all the SDGs,” Dlamini said.
Youth at the Centre of National Priorities
He noted that young people aged 15–34 make up 37.4% of Eswatini’s population, making them a crucial demographic in shaping national priorities.
The prime minister announced that the Eswatini National Youth Policy (2020) would be fully operationalised, with concrete, funded programmes rolled out in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs and the Eswatini National Youth Council (ENYC).
Focus on Skills, Jobs and Social Protection
This would include strengthening institutional coordination, expanding vocational and entrepreneurial training, and ensuring youth voices are heard in decision-making forums.
“Our aim is to mainstream the priorities of the National Development Plan into youth programming so that budgets reflect the urgency of youth employment, skills development and social protection,” he said.
EU Ambassador Highlights Youth as Architects of the Future
European Union Ambassador to Eswatini Karsten Mecklenburg echoed these sentiments, describing the country’s youth as ‘architects of the future’ and emphasising the importance of spaces where they can influence policies affecting their lives.
“The International Youth Day celebrates the imagination, creativity, and ambition of young people,” Mecklenburg said.
He added that with a median age of just 22 and 70% of the population aged 35 and under, Eswatini’s human capital development was key to its economic progress.
EU Investment in Youth Development
The EU, he noted, has aligned its Youth Action Plan with Eswatini’s National Youth Policy and Development Plan, committing over E500 million between 2021 and 2027 through various programmes under the Human Capital Development and Social Inclusion framework.
These initiatives focus on skills development, inclusion of marginalised groups, and localising global policies into community-driven action.
“Our goal is to empower young people to be strategic partners in development efforts and to translate global development goals into local realities,” he said.
Call for Partnerships to Expand Opportunities
Both leaders called on the private sector, civil society, and development partners to work closely with government in expanding apprenticeship and internship opportunities, creating pathways to decent work, and supporting youth entrepreneurship.
The prime minister closed his address by directly appealing to the nation’s youth:
“Use the opportunities we create, hold us to account, and lead in your communities. Together, we will turn policy commitments into measurable improvements in your lives.”
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