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<\/p>\nBy Kwanele Dhladhla<\/p>\n
The United Nations Building in Mbabane came alive on Friday with colour, warmth, and diplomacy as Eswatini and India celebrated the 2025 Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Day, an occasion that highlighted more than six decades of shared growth and human resource development.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Senator Pholile Shakantu, used the event to underscore the enduring impact of ITEC on Eswatini\u2019s development journey.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ITEC Programme has not only built skills but has also fostered enduring bonds of friendship between Eswatini and India,\u201d Shakantu said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe remain deeply grateful to the Government and People of India for their continued support, hospitality, and care towards emaSwati beneficiaries. We look forward to further strengthening this invaluable cooperation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joining her were Minister of Public Service Mabulala Maseko, senior government officials, and members of the diplomatic corps. India\u2019s High Commissioner to Eswatini, Ram N. Prasad, emphasised that ITEC is far more than a skills programme.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we commemorate this occasion, we celebrate not just a programme, but a partnership that has endured for decades and continues to strengthen the bonds between India and Eswatini,\u201d Prasad said.<\/p>\n
Instituted in 1964, ITEC is one of the world\u2019s oldest frameworks for international capacity building. Rooted in South-South cooperation, it has evolved over 61 years to provide training tailored to the specific needs of partner countries.<\/p>\n
Since the opening of India\u2019s resident mission in Eswatini in 2019, more than 400 emaSwati from government, semi-government, and private sectors have benefited. Training has spanned governance, ICT, agriculture, healthcare, public administration, and diplomacy.<\/p>\n
The reach is wide. Beneficiaries include the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force, His Majesty\u2019s Correctional Services, and the Royal Eswatini Police Service, ensuring that skills gained abroad strengthen critical institutions at home.<\/p>\n
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For Minister Maseko, the programme\u2019s contribution to Eswatini\u2019s workforce has been transformative. \u201cWhen beneficiaries return home, they not only bring back new skills but also fresh ideas and innovative approaches that transform their workplaces and communities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
One of ITEC\u2019s greatest strengths lies in its flexibility. Designed to be demand-driven, it adapts to Eswatini\u2019s shifting priorities. Training has expanded from traditional fields like agriculture and banking to cutting-edge areas such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and cybersecurity.<\/p>\n
Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, the programme adapted through e-learning. A total of 166 emaSwati officials took part in nine online ITEC courses, ensuring that learning did not stop even as the world ground to a halt.<\/p>\n
The number of slots available to Eswatini has steadily grown. After the state visit of India\u2019s President in 2018, annual training places were increased from 30 to 50 for civilians, plus 20 for defence officials, a clear signal of India\u2019s long-term commitment.<\/p>\n
Beyond the classroom, ITEC extends to six pillars: training, project-related activities, deployment of experts, study tours, equipment donations, and disaster relief.<\/p>\n
Alumni are now scattered across Eswatini\u2019s institutions, from Treasury officials improving financial systems, to health workers introducing updated medical practices, to educators adopting modern teaching methods.<\/p>\n
High Commissioner Prasad told attendees that these alumni are the programme\u2019s true ambassadors. \u201cYou are the living embodiment of this programme\u2019s success. You inspire future participants and carry forward the spirit of partnership that defines India-Eswatini relations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
As Eswatini continues to grapple with challenges such as youth unemployment, skills shortages, and the need to diversify its economy, the ITEC programme remains a steady source of hope. It equips citizens not only with technical knowledge but with confidence to innovate and lead change.<\/p>\n
Minister Shakantu closed the ceremony by situating ITEC within the broader vision of friendship and shared progress. \u201cThis programme represents more than just training opportunities.<\/p>\n
It is a testament to the enduring friendship between Eswatini and India, a relationship built on shared values, respect, and a vision for a better future,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Her words echoed the sentiment of the day: that the bridges of knowledge being built today will carry Eswatini and India toward a future of mutual prosperity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Kwanele Dhladhla The United Nations Building in Mbabane came alive on Friday with colour, warmth, and diplomacy…","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3713,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"csco_display_header_overlay":false,"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_location_hash":"","csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,25,26],"tags":[46,73,48,58],"class_list":["post-3706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-future","category-national","category-swaziland","tag-africa","tag-eswatini","tag-feature","tag-national","cs-entry","cs-video-wrap"],"yoast_head":"\n