MADAM CHAIRPERSON
YOUR EXCELLENCY, THE PRESIDENT OF IFAD
YOUR EXCELLENCIES, IFAD GOVERNORS
DISTINGUISHED DELEGATES
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

ON BEHALF OF THE KINGDOM OF SWAZILAND AND ON MY OWN BEHALF, ALLOW ME MADAM CHAIRPERSON TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR THE HONOUR TO ADDRESS THIS AUGUST GATHERING OF IFAD.

MAY I ALSO EXTEND THE GOVERNMENT OF SWAZILAND’S APPRECIATION TO THE OUTGOING IFAD PRESIDENT, HIS EXCELLENCY FAWZI AL-SULTAN FOR HIS OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP OF THE ORGANIZATION IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.

THE KINGDOM OF SWAZILAND HAS SEEN A STEADY INCREASE IN IFAD’s INVOLVEMENT IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR. CURRENTLY, IFAD IS ENGAGED IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SWAZILAND GOVERNMENT WITH A VIEW OF FINANCING MY COUNTRY’S LARGEST INVESTMENT TO THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR.

THE PROJECTS, NAMELY, LOWER USUTHU BASIN AND THE KOMATI PROJECT IS AN UNDERTAKING BY THE GOVERNMENT TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY.

MADAM CHAIRPERSON, WHILST FOCUS IS PRESENTLY ON THESE TWO MAJOR DAMS, WE HAVE NOT IN ANYWAY COMPROMISED OUR ATTENTION TO THE SMALLHOLDER FARMERS WITHIN THE OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

THE SMALLHOLDER AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IS IN ITS LAST YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION NOW, WITH ALL THE COMPONENTS ON BOARD, INCLUDING CREDIT.

WE DO HOPE TO PICK SOME LESSONS FROM THIS PROJECT WHICH WILL HELP US MEET OUR LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE OF IMPROVING FOOD PRODUCTION WITHIN THE SMALLHOLDER SECTOR.

THE BATTLE AGAINST POVERTY IS NOT BY ANY MEANS OVER. THERE IS STILL A LOT OF CHALLENGES AHEAD OF US, NAMELY THE AIDS PANDEMIC, FREQUENT DROUGHTS, OUTBREAK OF LIVESTOCK DISEASES AND MANY MORE.

THESE CHALLENGES ARE THE REASONS FOR INCREASED ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF ORGANISATIONS, SUCH AS IFAD. THIS THEREFORE, CALLS FOR THE INVOLVEMENT OF OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.

SWAZILAND BELIEVES THAT THERE IS "VALUE ADDED" IN COOPERATING WITH THE NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BE IT IN KNOWLEDGE OR RESOURCE SHARING.

HIS MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT IS NOT FOLDING ITS ARMS, WAITING FOR INTERNATIONAL HELP IN POVERTY ALLEVIATION. ON THE CONTRARY, THE GOVERNMENT HAS EMBARKED ON A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES, ALL AIMED AT A CONCERTED POVERTY REDUCTION.

IT IS AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND THAT I WISH TO THANK IFAD MOST SINCERELY FOR BEING ON OUR SIDE THROUGH ALL THESE YEARS, DATING BACK TO THE EARLY 80s. I AM HAPPY TO REPORT, MADAM CHAIRPERSON THAT THESE EFFORTS ARE NOW BEARING THE DESIRED FRUITS.

I WOULD HAVE FAILED IN MY DUTY IF I DID NOT MENTION IN MY ADDRESS THAT SWAZILAND HAS ALREADY MADE ITS FIRST INSTALMENT TOWARDS THE 5^TH REPLINISHMENT OF IFAD’s RESOURCES.

TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE CONTENTS OF THE AGENDA, MY DELEGATION HAS EXAMINED THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR 1999 AND APPROVED WHAT IS CONTAINED IN THE DOCUMENT AS WELL AS IFAD’s WORK AND BUDGET FOR 2001.

MY DELEGATION ALSO WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THOUGH THAT SOME THEMES MERIT SPECIAL ATTENTION, PARTICULARLY THOSE THEMES THAT HAVE A POSITIVE BIAS TOWARDS AFRICA.

IN THIS CONTEXT, MADAM CHAIRPERSON, SWAZILAND RE-ITERATES ITS COMMITMENT, HOWEVER, LITTLE, TO CONTINUE CONTRIBUTING FULLY, FOLLOWING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT IN 1996.

IN CONCLUSION, I WISH TO REAFFIRM, ONCE AGAIN, THE KINGDOM OF SWAZILAND’S STRONGEST SUPPORT IN IFAD’s ENDEAVOUR TO REALISE ITS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

FINALLY, I WISH IFAD ALL THE SUCCESS AND PROSPERITY UNDER THE NEW LEADERSHIP.

I THANK YOU.

SPEECH BY THE HON ROY NICOLAS-FANOURAKIS, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE AND COOPERATIVES OF THE KINGDOM OF SWAZILAND