STATEMENT BY THE RT HON PRIME MINISTER

PRESENTING

GOVERNMENT’S PROGRAMME OF ACTION

2013-2018

AT ESIBAYENI LODGE, MATSAPHA

MONDAY 30 JUNE 2014

1. INTRODUCTION

His Majesty King Mswati III bestowed upon me, on 28 October 2013, the immense honour of being re-appointed Prime Minister of His Majesty’s Government in the 2013-18 Administration. I am deeply grateful to Their Majesties for the confidence shown in me and my Cabinet colleagues. I am also, today, privileged to present to those gathered here, and to the Nation, the Programme of Action for the five years 2013-2018, that is already in progress, as well as yet to be undertaken by the new Administration.

2.BACKGROUND

The global background is one where Swaziland’s export markets, pulling only slowly out of economic recession, continue to have reduced purchasing power and thus modest levels of demand for Swazi goods. In recent times the extent and quality of Government service delivery has been far too dependent on the level of receipts from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). The unpredictability and uncontrollability of this source of revenue, from a Swaziland perspective, remains a key challenge. Considerably faster economic growth, driven from within Swaziland, is the solution for creating the secure route to greater national prosperity.

3. STRATEGY FOR THE 2013-2018 ADMINISTRATION AND TO 2022

3.1 VISION 2022

In 2010 His Majesty the King explained to the Nation his Vision that Swaziland should aim to achieve first world status. Progress towards that Vision should be evident by 2022. A definition appropriate to Swaziland has therefore been developed as follows:

“A first world country is one where all citizens are able to sustainably pursue their life goals, and enjoy lives of value and dignity in a safe and secure environment. This implies equitable access to sufficient resources, education, health, food security and quality infrastructure and services, as well as good governance.”

Within the coming eight years to 2022, the five year term of this Administration represents a large portion. The activities of the 2013-18 Administration must, therefore, make a significant contribution towards the attainment of the Vision. Vision 2022 accordingly represents the motivating strategy for this Administration, and the base upon which our Programme of Action is built.

3.2. SWAZILAND DEVELOPMENT INDEX 2022

In the 2014 Speech from the Throne His Majesty commanded us to draw up a framework of key indicators and the accompanying targets to track our progress to 2022. The Swaziland Development Index (SDI) 2022 has been prepared for this purpose and has eight Focal Areas – economic prosperity, agriculture and environmental sustainability, education, health, service delivery, infrastructure, governance and anti-corruption. It includes key measures of development such as infant mortality, maternal mortality, access to water and proximity to health services. Performance against each indicator will be reported annually.

Whilst the SDI 2022 has been drawn up by Government, a Consultative Forum in the SMART Partnership format was held on 2^nd and 3rd June 2014 at which over 500 representatives of a broad range of stakeholder groups reviewed, and made suggestions in respect of:

i)the definition of First World Status,
ii)the Swaziland Development Index and
iii)the Programme of Action 2013-18.

A copy of the SDI 2022, together with the definition of First World Status and the detailed Programme of Action 2013-18 make up the package of documents being presented today.

Within SDI 2022 we have also identified a target against each indicator. They are tough but achievable targets with one key proviso – that we secure a very substantial increase in economic growth to provide the necessary resources.

The prevailing theme for the Programme of Action 2013-18 is, therefore, the drive to achieve a huge expansion of foreign and domestic large scale investment, substantially accelerated growth in small, medium and micro scale enterprises, giving rise to taxes and duties that will enable Government to meet the ambitious public service delivery targets in the coming years to 2018 and 2022.

3.3. “DEVELOPMENT UNUSUAL”

The “business unusual” keynote of the previous Administration has progressed into “development unusual” which reflects the transformation of Government processes with a particular emphasis on an intensified approach to achieving targets in the further development of our economy, social services, natural resources and infrastructure, with a long range link into Vision 2022.

4. PROGRAMME OF ACTION 2013-18

The detailed Programme of Action 2013-18, which is being separately distributed, contains targeted outputs for the coming five years within the eight Focal Areas, as well as setting 2022 targets in selected key areas. Progress will again be tracked through annual performance targets for Ministries, with performance agreements signed annually by Ministers and Principal Secretaries. There will be periodic reports to Parliament and the Nation.

Fiscal prudence and tight financial control in the public sector are of crucial importance. With improved financial management processes, tighter procurement procedures, a stronger internal audit and a further strengthening of our anti-corruption resource we will maximise value-for-money in all Government spending. We will build a financial cushion from any surplus SACU payments and continue our progress towards making domestic-source revenue in the form of taxes and duties from faster economic growth, our main and reliable source of revenue. In Government budgets we will prioritise development expenditure while keeping the annual Government Budget deficit at a level no higher than low single figures.

If there is one maxim that captures what is needed in the coming five years it is – that all will flow from economic growth. Our public service delivery aspirations are soundly conceived and clearly articulated but they cannot be achieved to the standard envisaged, taking us towards the targets of SDI 2022, without a substantial increase in public resources. Those resources have to come from faster economic growth under sustained macro-economic stability, from the commercial activities of making more, growing more and providing more services of value.

The Programme of Action 2013-18, which is being presented today, sets out the Government programme in each of the eight Focal Areas and is supported in greater detail by the individual Ministry action plans. These action plans, together with what is being presented today, will be posted immediately on the Government website.

To achieve those growth and job creation figures we will create a business environment that is second to none among our international competitors, through a substantial upgrading of public sector service standards, innovative incentivisation and the creation in the next few weeks of a mover and shaker Investor Roadmap Unit to achieve the desired results. Addressing the high unemployment among our youth will be given a high priority.

Agriculture will receive accelerated support in three key areas – broader access to water for irrigation purposes, assistance in the diversification of crop production and encouragement in adding value to primary crops through an increase in agro-processing activity.

Our tourism sector contains a great deal of unrealized potential but has shown only modest growth in recent years. We will focus attention on new product development to more precisely match what Swaziland offers with the demand from the discerning regional and international tourist.

We shall keep, as one of our top priorities, the basic right of our people to enjoy first class health services. We will extend the roll-out of HIV therapy by almost 50% and expand health facilities and improve health service delivery. Similar prioritization will be given to providing an education system in which the roll-out of free public primary schooling will extend to all grades, and secondary and tertiary education will include a sharper emphasis on mathematics, science and ICT.

Government will continue with an equitable programme of social welfare, with special attention to the elderly and disabled, as well as to the vulnerable children of our country. We will also address the issue of gender, and by 2015 a Strategy and Action Plan will be in place to increase the number of women in politics.

Zero tolerance of crime and terrorism will be a key strategy for ensuring a peaceful society. Through a combination of higher visibility policing in key areas, community outreach and community police training programmes, strategic defence and anti-terrorism strategies and tight border patrolling provided by our Police and Defence forces, the status quo of peace and security will be sustained.

Government’s commitment to rooting out corruption will see a continuation of the life-style investigation programme, combined with a renewed public education programme and the introduction of anti-corruption policies and strategies in more Government Ministries and other agencies.

The above, and all other areas of public service delivery, are covered extensively in the detailed narrative Programme of Action 2013-18 which is part of the document, presented today, that includes the definition of First World Status, together with the Swaziland Development Index 2022. That document will also be placed in the Government website together with the detailed action plans for all Government Ministries. The print media will publish the detailed narrative Programme of Action 2013-18 itself in tomorrow’s editions.

As I conclude, it would be remiss of me to omit mention of the latest position on the well-publicised issue of Swaziland’s eligibility to the provisions of the African Growth and Opportunity Act. I can confirm that we have now received official confirmation from the United States Government that Swaziland’s eligibility has been withdrawn. Our next step will be to analyse the position, at the same time seeking expert advice in order to make the necessary decisions in reaction to the position taken by the United States Government. On behalf of His Majesty’s Government I wish to add that we respect the decision of a friendly country and hold the view that the decision of the United States Government should not affect the friendly relations of our two countries. We will continue our dialogue with the United States Government on trade and other issues.

It is now my honour to present the document which contains the narrative Programme of Action 2013-18, together with the definition of First World Status and the Swaziland Development Index 2022, and pledge the commitment of the new Administration to the very highest standards of implementation.

Thank you.

Download

Government’s Programme Of Action 2013- 2018 And SDI

Ministries 's Action Plans To 2018 and 2022.