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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Tsai praises Eswatini as new envoy welcomed
The Kingdom of Eswatini’s new ambassador to Taiwan, Promise Sithembiso Msibi, center, looks on as President Tsai Ing-wen, right, speaks at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA
/ Staff Writer, with CNA
President Tsai Ing-wen （蔡英文） yesterday praised the Kingdom of Eswatini as an important partner in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that the African country was the third-largest exporter of disinfectant alcohol to Taiwan.
Tsai made the remarks at the Presidential Office while accepting the credentials of the African kingdom’s new envoy, Ambassador Promise Sithembiso Msibi, marking the official beginning of his ambassadorship.
In addition to supplying critical goods during the pandemic, Tsai said Taiwan had also helped its only African diplomatic ally build capacity for mask production.
“These collaborations show the strong friendship between Taiwan and Eswatini,” she said.
The last time Tsai visited the African kingdom was in April 2018, when the countries celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, with King Mswati III visiting Taiwan in June that year, she said.
While in Eswatini, Tsai said she had witnessed bilateral cooperation projects that were “concrete reflections of the longstanding friendship between the two allies.”
Tsai also took the opportunity to thank Msibi and Eswatini for staunchly supporting Taiwan at this year’s World Health Assembly, during which an Eswatini official had backed Taiwan’s participation in the WHO’s decision-making forum.
Tsai welcomed Msibi’s arrival, saying that he is an outstanding diplomat and a long-time supporter of Taiwan.
Msibi, 57, is a senior Eswatini diplomat who had twice visited Taiwan, once as a parliamentary secretary in 2004, and later while accompanying King Mswati III’s mother at Double Ten National Day celebrations in 2011, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Msibi is highly trusted by the king, making him a perfect choice as Eswatini’s ambassador to Taiwan, the ministry said.
Msibi and his wife arrived in Taiwan on April 27, and the envoy presented a copy of his letter of credentials to Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu （吳釗燮） on May 24.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
