DIPLOMATIC MATTERS
The Kingdom of Swaziland’s Ambassador to the United Nations is also accredited to the following countries: the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Jamaica, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Guyana and Mexico. However, due to lack of funds he has not been able to officially present his credentials to some of these Heads of states. This has also made it difficult to engage in bilateral consultations with these states. A number of countries have made proposals for the establishment of Diplomatic Relations with the Kingdom of Swaziland.
UNITED NATIONS MEETINGS
49TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION OF THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT – 09 to 19 FEBRUARY, 2011
The Forty-Ninth Session of the Commission for Social Development was held from 09 to 19 February, 2011. The Commission was addressed by a keynote speaker on the priority theme of poverty eradication, and convened two high-level panel discussions: one on the priority theme, and the other on the emerging issue of “Social protection”. In recognition of the priority theme “Poverty eradication” for its forty-ninth and fiftieth sessions, the Commission invited the independent expert on human rights and extreme poverty of the Human Rights Council to address it and engage in a dialogue. In connection with its review of relevant United Nations plans and programmes of action pertaining to the situation of social groups, the Special Rapporteur on Disability also presented his report.
55TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN – 22ND FEBRUARY TO 04TH MARCH, 2011
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) held its 55th session in New York from 22 February to 04 March and a Resumed Session on 14 March, 2011. The priority theme was “Access and participation of women and girls in education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women’s equal access to full employment and decent work. “ The review theme was “The elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child.”
44TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT – 11TH TO 15TH APRIL, 2011
The Commission on Population and Development held its 44th Session from 11 to 15 April, 2011. The theme was “Fertility, reproductive health and development”. The theme centered on the relationship between high-fertility, high maternal and child mortality and high incidence of extreme poverty.
19TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, 02 TO 13TH MAY 2011
The Nineteenth Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD – 19), was held from May 2nd to 13th, 2011. The theme was “Policy Options and Practical Measures to Expedite Implementation in Transport, Chemicals, Waste management, Mining and a 10-year Framework of Programmes on sustainable Consumption and Production.
Open-Ended meeting of Governmental Experts (MGE) on the Implementation of the Programme of action to prevent, combat and eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its aspects – 09-13 May 2011. Member States converged in view of their substantive discussions on the themes of marking, record-keeping and cooperation in tracing as well as the cross-cutting themes of national frameworks, regional cooperation and international assistance and capacity-building which were identified as the core themes for the MGE.
16TH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE AND COMMEMORATIVE MEETING OF NON ALIGNED MOVEMENT – 23RD TO 27TH MAY 2011, BALI, INDONESIA
The Non Aligned Movement held its 16th Ministerial Conference and Commemorative Meeting in Bali, Indonesia on 23rd to 27th May 2011. The Mission was not able to attend the meeting owing to the prevailing fiscal malaise affecting Government. However, all was not lost because the Swaziland High Commission in Kuala Lumpur managed to represent Swaziland in this meeting. Fiji and Azerbaijan were admitted as new members of the Non Aligned Movement.