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Tuesday 5 April 2016

DROUGHT AID REACHES SWAZILAND

International aid is beginning to flow into Swaziland as drought relief, despite controversies over inappropriate spending by the Swazi Government.

In the February 2016 budget it was revealed that at least US$9 million has been set aside this year for a jet aircraft for King Mswati III, the last absolute monarch in sub-Saharan Africa. 

A further US$12 million is to be spent on the Royal terminal at King Mswati III (KMIII) airport. 

KMIII, formerly known as Sikhuphe, is an airport built in the wilderness in Swaziland. It has been widely criticised outside the kingdom where King Mswati rules as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch as a vanity project for the King.

Now, the European Union has announced that in collaboration with the Finnish Red Cross it will donate the equivalent of US$650,000 to assist more than 21,000 people from 4,200 households with food supplies.

In February the Swazi Government declared a national emergency and said the kingdom would need E248 million (US$16 million) before the end of April 2016.

EU Ambassador to Swaziland Nicola Bellomo said at the time Swaziland would immediately would seek E143 million from the ‘donor community’.

See also

MONEY FOR KING’S JET, BUT NOT DROUGHT
$12m SPEND ON ROYAL DECOR AT AIRPORT
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2016/03/12m-spend-on-royal-decor-at-airport.html

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