PRESS STATEMENT NO…..1/2014

BY THE RT HON PRIME MINISTER

DR B.S.S. DLAMINI

AT THE CABINET OFFICES, CAPITAL HILL

TUESDAY 7 JANUARY 2014

At the end of another Festive Season, it is my honour, on behalf of His Majesty's Government, to thank the Nation for sustaining the standard of behaviour that we have come to expect of each other, and what is expected of us by others.

I take the opportunity to say a very big "thank you" to those in the essential services including the Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force, Police, and Fire, Correctional and hospital services whose sacrifice enabled others to enjoy the Festive season to the full.

As His Majesty said to the Nation during the dispersal of the emabutfo (regiments), the peace that we have in Swaziland is a great blessing and we must commit to maintaining it and passing it on to posterity. A nation's history of peace and harmony is a priceless inheritance, as we ourselves have appreciated, and we have an undeniable commitment to passing it on to the coming generations. That will be a big part of our legacy.

As we enter 2014, His Majesty has urged us to make it a priority to conquer poverty and hunger, and he has identified increasing our agricultural output, to achieve food security, as a key objective in the months ahead. And His Majesty motivated us to go the extra kilometer and grow a surplus of food output so that we can export it. That strategy is, of course, central not only to eliminating hunger but also to reducing poverty further through the increased public resources created from the resultant economic growth.

In line with the strategy presented by His Majesty, the Administration's Five Year Programme of Action, that will be presented to Parliament following the Speech from the Throne 2014, will focus on our making more, and growing more, as well as increasing the provision of services such as tourism. And where we identify edible products for export we will aim to add value wherever possible in order to raise the financial return from our entry into the global supply chain.

Achieving the level of national development that is the goal of His Majesty will depend hugely on our pace in growing the economy. The Five Year Programme of Action will identify the key result areas across every sector and present annual targets that will guide the public sector, and indeed the Nation, in generating a vigorous drive towards the achievement of His Majesty's Vision, as set out in our National Development Strategy. Government is committed to providing an environment that attracts and capacitates Swazis to increase output. That is one half of the social contract. The other half is the positive response of every adult Swazi - a commitment to play his or her part in the Programme.

As a Nation we are greatly fortified by the everyday feeling of peace and security that is enjoyed by all. On behalf of His Majesty's Government, I do urge all our people to channel those good feelings into a concerted, collaborative drive to achieve a faster economic growth that will benefit everyone. May 2014 be a year of substantial achievement in that regard!

Thank you.



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