King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Eswatini will assume the role of the chairperson of the Southern African Customs Union Summit, taking over from the President of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi.
This is as the Kingdom of Eswatini assumed chairmanship of the SACU Summit, Council of Ministers and Commission, from 15 July 2022 to 14 July 2023.
Eswatini takes over from Botswana, who held the SACU chair from 15 July 2021 to 14 July 2022. The SACU chairmanship rotates amongst the member States, in alphabetical order, for 12-month increments.
This latest rotation means Eswatini finance minister Neal Rijkenberg will assume the role of chairperson of the SACU Council of Ministers, taking over from the minister of finance of Botswana, Peggy O Serame.
Principal secretary in the ministry of finance of Eswatini, Sizakele Dlamini, takes over as the chairperson of the SACU Commission from the secretary for economic and financial policy in the finance ministry in Botswana, Kelapile Ndobano.
Also, principal secretary in the finance ministry of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Nthoateng Lebona, is now chairperson of the finance and audit committee, taking over from the principal secretary of Eswatini, Sizakele Dlamini.