BY THEMBA ZWANE
MBABANE – The Kingdom of Eswatini has assured the nation and the international community that relations with Turkmenistan remain strong despite the postponement of His Majesty King Mswati III’s planned State Visit to the Central Asian nation.
In an official statement issued through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Minister Senator Pholile Shakantu confirmed that the three-day State Visit, which had been scheduled to take place at the invitation of the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, has been temporarily postponed. The Minister said the public would be informed of the new dates once all arrangements have been finalised.
Shakantu emphasised that the postponement should not be interpreted as a setback in the growing relationship between the two countries. Instead, she indicated that Eswatini remains fully committed to strengthening diplomatic, political and economic cooperation with Turkmenistan.
“The State Visit has been postponed and the public will be informed once new dates have been agreed upon,” the Minister stated.
She said the planned visit remains an important milestone in advancing bilateral relations, opening new opportunities for cooperation and deepening friendship between the two nations.
The Minister noted that the invitation extended by President Berdimuhamedov reflects the growing respect and cordial relations between Eswatini and Turkmenistan. She explained that the visit is expected to create opportunities for enhanced collaboration in areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment, agriculture, education, tourism and cultural exchange.
According to the Minister, the postponement does not affect the Kingdom’s foreign policy objectives or its commitment to expanding partnerships with countries across the world.
Shakantu also urged the public to rely on official government communication following the circulation of misleading social media reports regarding the postponement.
She stressed that only information issued through authorised government channels should be regarded as accurate, cautioning against speculation that may misinform the public.
The Minister’s statement comes after false claims circulated online alleging that His Majesty’s aircraft experienced technical problems before departure. Government has dismissed those claims, clarifying that the King’s planned visit was postponed and that no official explanation beyond the postponement has been announced.
Diplomatic observers say the visit remains strategically important as Eswatini continues to broaden its international partnerships beyond traditional markets while promoting trade, investment and stronger political cooperation.
Eswatini and Turkmenistan have steadily strengthened relations since establishing diplomatic ties, with both countries maintaining regular engagement through their foreign ministries and international forums. The partnership is founded on mutual respect, peaceful cooperation and shared support for multilateral diplomacy.
While awaiting the rescheduling of the visit, the Ministry reaffirmed that preparations for enhanced bilateral engagement will continue, expressing confidence that the State Visit will take place at an appropriate time and further reinforce the warm relations between the Kingdom of Eswatini and Turkmenistan.
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