INTRODUCTION

Ø Your Excellency, may I take this opportunity to welcome you again on behalf of the Government and the nation to the kingdom of Swaziland, and I hope you had a quiet and  peaceful rest last night.

Ø Your Excellency, I wish take this opportunity to congratulate most sincerely the victory of the FRELIMO party in the Presidential and Parliamentary elections which culminated in your Presidency.

Ø Mr. President the Kingdom of Swaziland values the warm and healthy relationship that exist between the two countries, our peoples have always lived in harmony since time in memorial, your struggle for independence was our struggle. Your suffering was also our suffering, indeed sons and daughters of the soil contributed towards the struggle in order to attain our political liberation.

Ø This has further been demonstrated by the peoples of our respective countries, there is warm relationship in the business sector, public sector and there is strong social relationship that exists between our two nations e.g. Swazis are getting married to Mozambicans or visa-versa.

SAFE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE

Ø Your Excellency, the trade that is taking place between our two countries requires our Governments to improve the movement of people between our two countries so that trade can be enhanced without any hindrance.

Ø We have a challenge to improve facilities in our border gates as it is indicated in the SADC protocol, e.g. movement of goods and services.

Ø I am pleased that our security forces in the SADC region are working as team to combat crime in our respective countries.

REGIONAL ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION

Ø Mr. President, Swaziland and Mozambique belongs to different regional initiatives such as the Lubombo Spatial Development Initiative, which includes; Swaziland, Mozambique and The Republic of South Africa. However, there are still challenges which we need to address in order to achieve handsome dividends.
Ø We also have a challenge to make sure that the Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation achieve its desired objectives.
 
Ø Regional cooperation is key to economic development because the world has become a global village and there is no country that can exists in isolation.

Ø Mr. President, there are several areas of cooperation that can be considered between the two countries, I have been informed that Mozambique is a potential source of natural gas which can benefit  Swaziland immensely and the region as a whole. The Natural gas pipe which was opened by President Thabo Mbeki and the former President of Mozambique President Chissano last year 2004 can benefit  Swaziland  from this project.

Ø President Mbeki further highlighted this, during the official launch of the project.

Ø Mr. President The Mozal Smelter Plant project power line is a clear example of economic cooperation between our two countries. 
 

Ø Swaziland and Mozambique have to promote the spirit of regional cooperation and this is further encouraged by the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD). This is the only way for the African continent to fight poverty and other challenges that we face as Africans. We need to put our resources together in order to improve the lives of our people.

Ø Mr. President, the two countries have a lot of tourism potentials and I am confident that if the two Governments can have an effective tourism programme this can improve economic development in our two countries.

PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE                      2ND MAY, 2005