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World Bank appoints new country director

20/07/2012 00:00:00 SENZO DLAMINI

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STORIES BY SENZO DLAMINI

MBABANE – The World Bank has appointed Asad Alam as the new Country Director for Swaziland.

This was confirmed by Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini, the Prime Minister, in a press conference held at the Cabinet offices yesterday.

Dlamini said Alam would be based in Pretoria, South Africa.

He is also the Country Director for other countries like South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia.

Alam assumed his new duties as the kingdom’s Country Director at the beginning of the month. "We’ve an important visitor who’s coming to work with the country," said the premier when introducing the newly-appointed country director.

"As a country, we’ve reached a point where we want to engage the World Bank to assist us develop." The PM said government was deeply concerned over the development challenges that faced the country. The World Bank, according to the head of government, would help assist the kingdom in balancing and growing the econ-omy. He stated: "We’ve challenges of unemployment, poverty and health."

He further said: "All these require funds.

"The expertise of the World Bank would definitely benefit a number of projects that need help." Dlamini also mentioned that the construction of dams was a major priority.

"As a country, we need to harvest the little water that we get," he said. "Water resources are very important."

Dlamini said the government was looking forward to working closely with the World Bank.

... director presents PM with book on fighting corruption

MBABANE – Asad Alam, the newly-appointed World Bank Country Director for Swaziland, yesterday presented Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini, the Prime Minister, with a book on how to fight corruption.

Alam sounded enthusiastic that the book would help equip government with the necessary tricks to uproot corruption in the public service.

The head of government, when accepting the book, hoped that it would be a milestone in the fight against corruption.

Dlamini, in his address during the press conference yesterday, said Alam, while in the kingdom, would work closely with the Minister of Finance Majozi Sithole.

He told Alam the country was on the verge of opening a fourth sugar mill at Nsoko in the Lubombo region.

"Projects of development in the country require funding," he added. "I hope you’ll look into such projects."