Since the circle of civilized economic and diplomatic partners for Belarus is increasingly narrowing due to Lukashenka's outstanding policy, the regime hastened to establish interaction with at least someone. For example, with the Kingdom of Eswatini. This name appeared on the world map not so long ago - the state was previously called Swaziland. It is not a fact that even Lukashenka's government members managed to remember the new name.
In April, the Ambassador of Belarus to the Republic of South Africa, Ihar Bila, met with the King of Eswatini Mswati III. In June, talks were held in Minsk with the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini, Russell Mmisa Dlamini, and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries was announced. Now Prime Minister Golovchenko spoke about the excellent prospects of partnership, in particular in the medical field:
"The program of your visit includes a visit to one of the medical institutions of our country, where you will be able not only to learn how the health care system in Belarus is built, but also to discuss possible promising projects in the field of exchange. experience between the medical branches of the two countries and the provision of services, possibly for the treatment of citizens of your country in the Republic of Belarus."
It was also about providing services to Belarus in the field of education in various specialties
International partnership is always a good thing, especially for a country that doesn't have much choice. But the problem is that the Kingdom of Eswatini is one of the poorest countries in the world with a GDP of 4.6 billion dollars (a little more than 6% of the GDP of Belarus), 70% of the population lives below the poverty line, and the level of health care can be said, for example, the fact that in 2019 the country recorded the world's highest HIV prevalence among people aged 15 to 49 - 27.1%.
It will be possible to fruitfully cooperate with Esvatini only in the field of corruption - the prime minister is blamed there for the fact that the amount intended for the purchase of medicines for state hospitals disappeared from the budget. But it is also believed that most of the country's budget goes towards ensuring the luxurious life of King Mswati III and his huge family.
Including because of this, since 2021, popular protests raged in the country for several years, which ended in executions. All in all, a fertile field for sharing experiences.
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