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Visit of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te to Eswatini
On Monday, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te concluded a three-day visit to Eswatini. During his stay, Lai met with Eswatini’s head of state, King Mswati III. The two leaders held talks on cooperation in the fields of business, agriculture, culture and education. In a joint statement, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to continuing their partnership. Among the concrete cooperation projects discussed were the Taiwan Industrial Innovation Park, which is intended to attract Taiwanese investors and manufacturers as an industrial and technology hub while creating local jobs, and the Strategic Oil Reserve Facility, which is set to become the country’s first fuel reserve storage facility and enhance Eswatini’s energy security. During his visit, Lai received briefings on the progress of both projects, which are scheduled for completion in 2027 and 2028, respectively. He also visited the newly inaugurated International Convention Centre (Ezulwini Palazzo), a luxury international conference centre built with Taiwanese support. In addition, Eswatini’s Foreign Minister Pholile Shakantu and her Taiwanese counterpart Lin Chia-lung signed an agreement on mutual administrative assistance in customs matters. The agreement aims to facilitate trade between the two countries, streamline customs procedures and improve the regulatory framework for cross-border trade.
Lai’s trip had originally been scheduled for 22 to 26 April in order to attend the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession to the throne as well as the King’s birthday celebrations. However, the visit was postponed after and Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles abruptly revoked overflight rights for the Taiwanese presidential aircraft. According to Taiwan’s Presidential Office, these decisions were the result of “intense pressure” and « economic coercion » from China. As a result, the visit eventually took place on Saturday without prior announcement. Following Lai’s visit, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry described the Taiwanese president as an “international laughing stock” and claimed that Lai had been “smuggled” off the island with the help of a foreign aircraft. The spokesperson also reiterated China’s position that Taiwan is part of China and called on Eswatini to end its support for Taiwan. The United States, by contrast, stated that the trip formed part of Taiwan’s regular diplomatic activities and should not be politicised. They also pointed out that Lai’s predecessor had visited Eswatini in both 2023 and 2018.
Eswatini is the only African state that maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1968, Eswatini and Taiwan have developed a close partnership. This includes investment, development projects, as well as cooperation in the fields of economy, agriculture, education, and health. According to Taiwanese sources, 20 to 30 Taiwanese companies operate in Eswatini, collectively employing around 13,000 people. The textile company Tex-Ray is said to be the country’s largest employer. In return, Eswatini supports Taiwan on the international stage, for example by calling for Taiwan’s greater inclusion in global platforms within the framework of the United Nations. The partnership is therefore also of significant symbolic importance for Taiwan. However, some analysts criticise the fact that Taiwanese investment and development funds primarily benefit the royal household and local elites. King Mswati III has himself made 18 official visits to Taiwan, most recently in 2022.
For decades, China has been urging states to adhere to its “One China” policy and to sever their formal relations with Taiwan. Eswatini is also affected by this policy. On Friday, China lifted tariffs for a further 20 African countries, meaning that 53 out of 54 African states now qualify for “tariff-free treatment” of their goods. However, Eswatini, Taiwan’s ally, remains excluded from this arrangement.
Tensions in Tigray and between Ethiopia and Sudan
On Tuesday, the chairman of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Debretsion Gebremichael, was appointed President of the regional government of Tigray in Mekelle, the capital of Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. The party’s deputy chairman, Amanuel Assefa, also announced the appointment of Kiros Hagos as Speaker and Mihret Berhe as Deputy Speaker of the reinstated regional parliament (Tigray Regional State Council). According to analysts, by restoring the regional structures that existed prior to the civil war, the TPLF is challenging the Pretoria Agreement concluded in November 2022, which had suspended the former structures and established the Tigray Interim Administration (TIA). The TPLF, however, accuses Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government of having itself violated the agreement. In particular, it criticises the continued presence of non-state armed actors in the region, the withholding of financial resources, the failure to facilitate the return of internally displaced persons, and the extension of the TIA’s mandate announced by the Ethiopian federal government in April, which allegedly took place without consultation with the TPLF and in contravention of the agreement. Meanwhile, the TIA’s interim president, Tadesse Worede, stated that he intends to remain in office. As a result, two rival political authorities now stand opposed to one another in the region, leading observers to fear for the already fragile peace.
Compounding matters are the rising tensions between Ethiopia and Sudan. In an official statement issued on Tuesday, Sudan’s military government accused Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of involvement in drone strikes on the airport of the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. According to a military spokesperson, several of the attacks had been launched from Ethiopia’s Bahir Dar airport. The drones used were allegedly supplied by the UAE. In support of its claims, the Sudanese army referred to analyses of flight data as well as investigations into a drone that had entered Sudanese airspace in mid-March. The government in Khartoum described this as a direct act of aggression that would not go unanswered. Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohi El-Din Salem also stated that Sudan was prepared to enter into an open confrontation with Ethiopia. In addition, Sudan’s ambassador to Ethiopia was recalled to Khartoum for consultations. In a statement issued by its Foreign Ministry, the Ethiopian government rejected the allegations made by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) as baseless and, in turn, accused the SAF of supporting the TPLF with weapons and financial resources, as well as “anti-Ethiopian forces” more broadly. The TPLF denied these accusations and stated that it neither cooperates with the Sudanese government nor seeks to undermine regional stability. At the same time, the party emphasised that Sudan had provided humanitarian assistance during and after the civil war, which should not be instrumentalised for political narratives.
Tensions in the Tigray region have been escalating for some time. Since January, there have been repeated armed clashes between TPLF forces and the government army. By reinstating the regional government and regional parliament, the TPLF, which has officially been banned since 2025, has now implemented a return to the political administrative structures that existed prior to the civil war. The party had already announced this move in April, just two weeks after the decision to extend the mandate of the TIA. According to the Pretoria Agreement, the TIA was to be jointly administered by the TPLF and the Ethiopian federal government and govern Tigray until new elections could be held (Press Review CW 45/2022).
The two-year Ethiopian civil war (2020–2022) is regarded as one of the deadliest conflicts in recent history, claiming more than half a million lives. At the same time, according to Refugees International, around one million people in Tigray remain displaced. International and regional observers now fear a renewed outbreak of civil war and, in light of the tensions between Ethiopia and Sudan, warn of a possible regional escalation of the conflict. Sudan’s accusations against Ethiopia are not new. Sudan accuses Ethiopia of providing logistical support to the UAE, which in turn is alleged to support the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). In February, the news agency Reuters reported that Ethiopia was operating a training camp for thousands of RSF fighters and had expanded the nearby Asosa airport for drone operations. Ethiopia and the UAE also rejected these allegations.
In other news
On Sunday, the eighth edition of the World Athletics Relays came to an end in Botswana’s capital, Gaborone. The two-day competition brought together 723 athletes from 40 national federations competing across six relay categories. Following the qualifying heats on Saturday, Botswana’s men’s 4x400m quartet, led by Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo, claimed victory on Sunday ahead of South Africa in 2:54.47 minutes – the third-fastest time ever recorded over the distance. While Jamaica set a new world record of 39.62 seconds in the mixed 4x100m relay and also won the women’s 4x100m relay, the United States secured victory in the mixed 4x400m relay ahead of Jamaica and Great Britain, as well as in the men’s 4x100m relay ahead of South Africa and Germany. Norway won the women’s 4x400m relay final. The competition, introduced in 2014, also served as a qualifying event for the upcoming World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest and the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, and was held in Africa for the first time. In addition to prize money of up to US$40,000, athletes received medals adorned with locally sourced diamonds and crafted using local artisanal techniques in order to mark Botswana’s 60th anniversary of independence.
Event recommendation
On 12 May 2026 at 16:00hrs, Namatai Kwekweza, a Zimbabwean human rights activist and winner of the 2025 German Africa Prize, will give a lecture entitled “MEMENTO: Memory, Hope and the Birth of a New World Order”. The European-African lecture series, which has already visited Gothenburg and Krakow, is organised by the International Youth Think Tank (IYTT) and WELEAD Africa and supported by the German Africa Foundation. The series focuses on the profound changes in the international order in the 21st century. The event will focus on a young African perspective on issues of democracy, human rights and global governance. The aim is to stimulate a nuanced discussion of global developments, to highlight Africa’s role as an active geopolitical player, and to emphasise the importance of ‘remembrance’ as the foundation for a just and inclusive future. The event will take place in the auditorium of the Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm Centre, Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 1-3, 10117 Berlin. Participation is possible upon registration via the registration link; the event will also be livestreamed.