SOLIDARITY FUND AND SWAZI LIVES MATTER TO HEADLINE NORWAY CONFERENCE ON ESWATINI

The eSwatini Solidarity Fund, the none government organisation that shot to fame in the immediate aftermath of the June 2021 uprising by organising humanitarian support for survivors, will next week embark on a solidarity trip to Norway to mobilise support for democracy in the country.

 Even though the trip has been organised by the Norwegian Council for Africa in collaboration with the Swaziland Justice Forum, it was the Solidarity Fund´s Mandla Dlamini and the Swazi Lives Matter Global Solidarity Fund´s Qhawekazi Khumalo who were selected to go to Norway to meet a variety of organisations as well as address a conference on eSwatini.

Dlamini said the trip came right on time following the Swazi Leak investigative stories that exposed the fragility of the Swazi state, the country´s banking system and the emergence of criminal mafia that has captured the Swazi state. “We are excited to be identified by the Justice Forum to attend the trip and that we will represent the Swazi people properly,” Dlamini said when contacted for a comment.

Dlamini and Khumalo will headline a conference on eSwatini titled “Has the world forgotten about eSwatini” where they will address the African diaspora, government officials, students and Norway political leaders. The duo is expected to meet Fagforbundet, the largest union in Norway and the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions.

The two will also have meetings with the Confederation of Vocational Unions (YS), a politically independent umbrella organization for labour unions as well as the Norwegian People´s Aid, AUF - Workers Youth League, Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees Youth, SOS Children’s villages and Amnesty. Lastly, the two will also meet SAIH, the largest student organisation in Norway, Are Nagoda, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions - Youth Department, Norwegian People’s Aid and various other organisations in Norway. Khumalo said she was excited that she will be leading an international mission to canvass political support for the struggle and to ensure that they seek financial, organisational and otherwise support for Swazi human rights organisations.