Eswatini needs diaspora skills – King

General

Saturday, September 27, 2025 by King's Office Correspondents

Through Indvuna Mashampu Khumalo, it was announced that a token of E18 000 will be granted to each of the students and emaSwati who came to meet His Majesty.

NEW YORK, USA – His Majesty King Mswati III has invited emaSwati in the diaspora to come back home and work in the soon-to-be established industrial park and the strategic oil reserve.

His Majesty was speaking to a gathering of emaSwati students and those who work in the United States of America who had come to pay him a courtesy call on Friday.

“The Kingdom of Eswatini is transforming and establishing critical industries that require high-end skills and know-how of some of you who are now based in the diaspora and have been exposed to these industries.

“The investors who have shown interest to set their businesses at home would require your expertise, hence I am making this call. EmaSwati back home would like to learn from your experiences, hence we are appealing to you to consider returning home to contribute to the nation’s development,” the King said.

He said the United States is one of the advanced economies of the world, hence they must make use of their exposure whilst still working here.

Former Eswatini Revenue Services boss and former Principal Secretary Dumsani Masilela, along with former Chief Economist Nonkululeko Dlamini-Magagula and Linda Hlophe, are some of the about 40 emaSwati who work at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) holding very senior positions.

The King reminded both the emaSwati students and those working abroad that they should always work hard and continue to be exemplary in everything they do by showing respect, which is a critical Swati virtue.

His Majesty the King said they do not just want emaSwati living in the diaspora to return home only to work; they want them to also open business that would attract huge turnover per annum running into millions of Emalangeni.

He also challenged emaSwati to venture into investment in the tourism space, to position the country as a tourist destination.

The King said people who visit Eswatini should be exposed to a variety of aspects other than just cultural.

“Some countries are not even endowed with natural resources like we do, but do more and create interesting opportunities. That’s what we need to venture into. I witnessed signing of Memorandum of Agreement with huge companies like Google, Space company Stardust and the United Arab Emirates which are aimed at contributing to advanced technologies and place Eswatini as an innovation hub of not just southern Africa, but the continent at large.

“We are looking forward to be amongst the most developed economies of the world, hence your contribution to the country’s advancement is key,” His Majesty the King said.

The King said despite his tight schedule whilst attending the business of the United Nation’s General Assembly’s 80^th Session, he was pleased to have found time to meet with emaSwati based here.

Amongst the emaSwati students studying here who came to pay their courtesy call to the King were Samukelisiwe Tembe, a female pilot who is pursuing a Master of Science in Technology in Aviation Management and Human Factors and Temantimandze Shongwe, daughter to Teaching Service Commission Board Member Sibusiso Shongwe.

Shongwe thanked His Majesty the King for saving his father, who was a former justice minister, when faced with difficult times.

His Majesty King Mswati III addressing emaSwati studying and working in the USA. (Pics: Bawethu Sithole - State Photographer)