Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) in eSwatini have requested funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and asked the government not to tax donor funding.
The NGOs engaged visiting members of the AfDB committee on Tuesday, with a mission to forge a possible partnership in terms of support for their various projects.
The AfDB team is in the country on a courtesy call to present their financing products and instruments to the civil society organisations.
Civil Society Officer at AfDB Njeri Kinyoho said they realised the crucial role played by NGOs in the various sectors towards the development of the country, hence the AfDB’s will to find a mechanism for possible funding.
NGOs were represented by Sonic Dlamini who said they were forced to operate under budget due to the fact that they have to pay the 15 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) from their donor- funded budgets yet they were not making any profits.
His view was echoed by Emmanuel Ndlangamandla, the Director of the Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organisations (CANGO).
BM/as/APA