By Musa Mdluli

MBABANE:Thulisile Dladla,the Deputy Prime Minister(DPM) has expressed eSwatini’s commitment to achieving the Universal Energy Access by 2030.

The Universal Energy Access is a global project seeking to ensure that,everyone on Earth has access to reliable and sustainable modern energy and this,forms part of the United Nations(UN) Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) under Goal number seven(7).

The DPM who was representing King Mswati in the Africa Energy Summit held in Tanzania this week, endorsed the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration that outlines among others,strategies to lower electricity costs,reduce dependence on firewood, and boost clean energy production while offering hope for a brighter and more sustainable future for millions across the African continent.

Addressing the Energy Summit, the Deputy Prime Minister further reported on the process that eSwatini has made on energy access.She said the country was struggling with a coverage rate of 5% in 2002 but twenty(20) years later, eSwatini has achieved a significant growth of 82% coverage in 2023 and 88% in 2024 respectively.

Eswatini is a landlocked country situated in Southern African, the rural electrification project was vigorously implemented in the past years with the assistance of international partners.