Commonwealth secretary general Patricia Scotland is expected to grace next week’s official opening of the second session of the 11th Parliament of eSwatini, APA learnt here on Saturday.
Scotland, who is expected to arrive in Mbabane on January 27, will be King Mswati III’s special guest during the event scheduled for
January 31.
“The secretary-general will also meet cabinet members to discuss Commonwealth priorities, including preparations for the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held in Rwanda in June 2020,” Commonwealth Secretariat assistant communications officer Temitope Kalejaiye said in a statement.
Scotland was quoted as having said she was honoured to
be King Mswati’s guest.
“eSwatini has been a steadfast and active member of the Commonwealth since joining in 1968,” she said.
She said this will be her first visit to the Kingdom and that she was looking forward to engaging with the people of eSwatini and learning
more about their aspirations for the future and how the Commonwealth
can support them, in collaboration with regional and international
partners.
The Commonwealth is a group comprising 53 mostly former British colonies and is home to 2.4 billion people from different economies.
NSM/jn/APA