BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Swaziland in Geneva was established during the second half of 2005. It is accredited to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva. These include but not limited to the following:

GENEVA BASED ORGANISATIONS
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (UNAIDS);
International Labour Organization (ILO);
International Organization for Migration (IOM);
International Telecommunication Union (ITU);
International Trade Centre (ITC);
International Red Cross and Red Crescent;
United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR);
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS);
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA);
Office of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights (UNHCHR);
Office of the High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR);
World Trade Organization (WTO);
World Health Organizations (WHO);
World Meteorological Organization (WMO);
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO);
United Nations Conference on Development and Trade (UNCTAD);
United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDR);
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR); and
Universal Postal Union (UPU).

The Mission is also accredited to the following United Nations Organizations based in Rome (Italy,) Vienna (Austria), Bonn (Germany) and Paris (France).
Rome, Italy-based Organizations:
Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO);
International Fund for Agricultural Development Agency (IFAD);
World Food programme (WFP).

VIENNA, AUSTRALIA - BASED ORGANISATIONS
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO);
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

BONN, GERMANY - BASED ORGANISATIONS
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD);
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

PARIS, FRANCE - BASED ORGANISATIONS
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

In addition, the Mission has bilateral accreditation with the following countries:
Austria;
Hungary;
Russian Federation;
Switzerland; and
Ukraine,

MISSION OBJECTIVES

• To canvass and co-ordinate high level bilateral political engagements between the Swazi Government leadership and Heads of International Organizations as well as their counterparts from the United Nations Member States.
• To represent the Kingdom of Swaziland and raise its profile in all the United Nations Organizations and other International Organizations based in Geneva (Switzerland); Paris (France); Rome (Italy); Vienna (Austria); and Bonn (Germany). These include the Organizations dealing with matters relating to: trade (UNCTAD, WTO and ITC, WIPO); food (FAO, IFAD and WFP); human rights (UNHCHR; health (WHO; UNAIDS and Global Fund); refugees (UNHCR); education UNESCO); climate change (WMO, UNCCD, UNFCCC); humanitarian  (OCHA, International Red Cross and Red Crescent); and disarmament (UNIDR); and international disaster (United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR).
• To strengthen and deepen the bilateral relations between the Kingdom of Swaziland and the countries of accreditation, namely, Austria; Hungary;  Switzerland; Russian Federation; and Ukraine.
• To promote and market the Kingdom of Swaziland as a source of imports for  foreign countries; alternative destination for foreign capital (investment) and tourists not only in the countries of accreditation but, in other countries as well.
• To promote and portray a positive image for the Kingdom of Swaziland; 
• To protect and/or defend the interest of Swaziland in countries of accreditation and  in the International Organizations.

UNIQUE BENEFITS

The Kingdom of Swaziland benefits immensely from the establishment of the Permanent Mission in Geneva, the seat of most United Nations and other International Organizations and thus a place where important decisions that are binding to all members of the United Nations family are negotiated. With such a physical presence, Swaziland is able to participate in these important meetings.

The unique benefits which Swaziland enjoy include but not limited to the following :

• Participation at the work of the World Trade Organization (WTO), in particular in the on-going WTO trade negotiations on the Doha Development Agenda; thereby protecting and safeguarding the Kingdom's trade interest;
• The Permanent Mission in Geneva acts as an intermediary between the International Organizations like the World Trade Organization (WTO), United Nations Trade Conference on Trade and Developmnet (UNCTAD); International Trade Centre (ITC) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), to coordinate technical assistance activities. In this respect, the Mission promptly disseminates and follows up on invitations for workshops, seminars, short courses, internships and symposiums to ensure that nominations are submitted within the deadlines and to liaise on matters arising from such activities. The technical assistance as well as the training opportunities go a long way into helping to build and enhance the greatly needed institutional and human capacities of Government and private sector officials on trade and trade related matters, including on trade policy formulations and negotiating skills.
• The Mission negotiates scholarships from the countries of bilateral accreditation   and International Organizations for Swazi nationals thereby further contributing to capacity building.
• The physical presence of the Mission in Geneva also allows Swaziland to participate, contribute and influence negotiations foremost in the regional groupings in which she is a member but, but ultimately, also in the International Organizations were decisions are ultimately taken. This unique opportunity to defend Swaziland's interests and safeguard her national position during negotiations would not only be challenging without a Mission presence in Geneva, but would be virtually impossible given that regional meetings to consolidate positions or endorse proposals are usually scheduled on a daily basis.
• The Mission actively lobbys for Swaziland to be considered as an alternative venue for regional courses offered by the International Organizations, such as the three (3) month Regional Trade Policy Course for English Speaking African countries which was jointly hosted by the University of Swaziland and the World Trade Organizations (WTO). In this regard, the Mission also played a critical role in negotiating for the one year extension. The Mission has also lobbied for a number of short courses to be held in Swaziland as well. Without a physical presence in Geneva, Swaziland would never have been given the opportunity to host any of the courses and workshops.
• The Mission also lobbys for Swaziland to be considered as a location for hosting international meetings such the Third United Nations Ministerial Meeting for Land Locked Developing Countries which was in Mbabane in October 2009.
• The Mission lobbys all the regional groupings in which Swaziland is a member for support during the consideration of issues relating to Swaziland in the International Organizations.
• The Mission also engages the concerned International Organizations to present the and clarify the Kingdom's true position.