Saudi Arabia to open embassy in Eswatini

Saudi Arabia has announced the establishment of a full-fledged embassy in the Kingdom of Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, a tiny landlocked country in Southern Africa with a population of slightly more than a million people.

The announcement was made by Saudi Arabia’s Royal Court Advisor Ahmed Qattan during his meeting with King Mswati III on Tuesday evening, in which the strengthening of bilateral relations was also discussed, explained Eswatini’s Foreign Affairs Minister Thuli Dladla in the capital Mbabane on Wednesday.

“We have received His Majesty and the important issues were discussed with the king concerning improvement in the relationship in all aspects,” Qattan was quoted by the minister as saying. “The king has been informed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has approved the construction of an embassy building in the Kingdom of Eswatini.”

Eswatini has strong bilateral relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dladla pointed out. “We would like to reaffirm the bonds that exist between us as kingdoms.”

Qattan’s role in the country is not new, as he has always played an important role in improving relations, the Communications Manager in the King’s Office, Percy Simelane, told Anadolu in a telephone interview.

When Eswatini was in political turmoil in March last year, Qattan arrived and delivered what the government claimed was a special message from the Saudi king. This apparently played a role in the country’s political settlement.

“We view the latest move by the sister kingdom as a bid to upgrade and further strengthen ties and open other trade corridors for Eswatini,” added Simelane.

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