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26 May 2008 |
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PGMA & Swazi King ink trade and cultural M.O.A. |
25 May 2008 |
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PGMA receives Swaziland Monarch tomorrow |
22 May 2008 |
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Swazi King due in Manila Sunday |
| Swazi King due in Manila Sunday |
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King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Swaziland will arrive in Manila on Sunday
(May 25) for a two-day state visit -- the first by a Swazi King. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is scheduled to meet the King on Monday (26 May) to discuss new areas of cooperation, particularly in the fields of trade and higher education, as well as initiatives in the international arena. The President will host a state banquet in His Majesty's honor on the same day. The state visit is expected to yield agreements on economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation, and lead to the establishment of a bilateral consultative mechanism between the Philippines and Swaziland. Greater opportunities for trade and investment will also be explored during the King's meeting with prominent Filipino and Swazi businessmen. Prior to his arrival in Manila, King Mswati will travel to Cebu and Bohol on a private visit. Accompanying the King are his 13th wife, Inkhosikati Lankhambule, his 23rd daughter HRH Princess Buhlebetive, his brother HRH Prince Lonkhokhela and his sister HRH Princess Msindvose. Other members of His Majesty's delegation include the chief of the Swazi Royal Court, Chief Maphokela Shabalala, and Swazi Foreign Minister Moses Mathendele Dlamini. Swaziland is a land-locked kingdom in Southern Africa with a population of 1.2 million. The Philippines and Swaziland have maintained close diplomatic ties through the years and have cooperated in the multilateral arena. |
| PGMA receives Swaziland Monarch tomorrow |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will receive in Malacanang tomorrow
(Monday) Swazi King Mswati III who arrived in Manila
today (Sunday) for a two-day state visit. The visiting head of state of Swaziland will be accorded arrival honors by a unit of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) upon his arrival in Malacanang at 10 a.m. His Majesty will then be ushered to the palace where he will sign the Palace Guest Book. In the evening, the President will host a state banquet in honor of the Swazi monarch. A Leaders’ Meeting between the President and the King will highlight the morning’s events, during which the two leaders are expected to sign various agreements on economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation. This is the first visit to the Philippines of the King of the land-locked Kingdom of Swaziland. He flew into Manila this afternoon from Cebu after a private visit to the Visayan industrial hub. The Malacanang meeting of the two leaders will also pave the way for the establishment of the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism between the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the Philippines, and the Swazi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). During the two leaders’ meeting, Swazi Queen Inkhosikati Lankhambule, the King’s 13th wife, will be given a tour of the Palace Museum. From Malacanang, the visiting monarch and his entourage will motor to Marikina City where he will receive the key to the city from Marikina Mayor Maria Lourdes Fernando who will also host a luncheon for the royal visitors. A tour of the main campus of the University of the Philippines – which is celebrating its 100th year this year – will fill the afternoon itinerary of the visitors from Swaziland, the last remaining monarchy in Africa. A state banquet to be tendered by the President in honor of the Swazi King will be held in Malacanang by 7 p.m. Accompanying the Royal Couple are the King’s 23rd daughter, Princess Buhlebetive, and the King’s brother Prince Lonkhokhela, and sister, Princess Msindvose. The King’s delegation also includes Chief Maphokela Shabalala of the Swazi Royal Court, and Swaziland Foreign Minister Moses Mathendele Dlamini. The Philippines and Swaziland – a kingdom of 1.2 million Swazis -- have maintained close diplomatic ties through the years and have cooperated in the multilateral arena. The Swazi king and his entourage arrived last Friday in the Philippines, going direct to Cebu City for a private visit. They will depart for Japan on Tuesday. |
| PGMA & Swazi King ink trade and cultural M.O.A. |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Swaziland King Mswati
III inked this morning two memoranda of agreements (MOA) that hope to bring
the two countries into a cooperative partnership in economic, scientific,
technical and cultural fields. One of the MOAs establishes the bilateral consultation mechanism between the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Swaziland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). The two leaders signed the MOAs at the main reception hall of Malacanang Palace after a 30-minute Leaders Meeting at the Palace Music Room. The Leaders’ Meeting was also attended by Swaziland Foreign Minister Moses Mathendele Dlamini, Swaziland Ambassador to the Asia-Pacific Region Mphumelelo Hlophe, Village Chief Maphokela Shabalala of the Swazi Royal Court, Prince Lokhokhela, Phiwa Ginindza of the Swaziland Investment Promotions Authority, and Swaziland business consortium owner Dumiso Mamba, among others. For its part, the Philippine government side had Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, and Trade Secretary Peter Favila. Sitting in at the Leaders’ Meeting were the two leaders’ spouses, First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and King Mswati’s 13th wife, Inkhosikati Lankhambule. The King’s consort was later toured for some 30 minutes around the Palace Museum by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, with the two coming back in time for the photo opportunity at the end of the MOA signing. The Swazi king’s visit to the palace was kicked off with military arrival honors at the palace courtyard, complete with the firing of cannons, that was attended by the Philippines’ armed forces hierarchy led by military chief Alexander Yano. The Swazi king’s delegation shall be feted by President Arroyo to a state dinner tonight at the Rizal Hall of the Palace. |
