Eswatini’s first resident FAO Representative arrives with a clear brief from Government, as the King’s 2024 Rome commitment becomes a fully-fledged country office
BY: SIBUSISO MNGADI – EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
MBABANE – Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has set the newly appointed Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Representative in Eswatini a clear and time-bound target: help the Kingdom achieve food sovereignty within five years.
The Prime Minister made the call when he received a courtesy call from Ms Rosanne Marchesich, who was accompanied by the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Eswatini, Mr George Wachira. Minister of Agriculture Mandla Tshawuka was also present.
“Our ambition is clear: food sovereignty for Eswatini within five years,” said the Prime Minister.
He welcomed Ms Marchesich to the Kingdom and expressed Government’s confidence in her appointment, noting that her arrival comes at an important time as FAO strengthens its presence in Eswatini and establishes a fully-fledged country office.
The Prime Minister outlined His Majesty’s Government’s expectations for the partnership, stressing that the ambition would require determined action, strong technical support, effective coordination and a shared commitment to delivering tangible results for emaSwati. He said Government wants to work closely with FAO to raise agricultural productivity, increase national food production and build greater resilience and self-reliance in the country’s food systems.
He wished Ms Marchesich success in her assignment and reaffirmed His Majesty’s Government’s commitment to a strong and productive partnership with the organisation.
Credentials presented
Earlier, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Senator Pholile Shakantu, received the credentials of Ms Marchesich, who was appointed by FAO Director-General Dr Qu Dongyu.
Her appointment marks a historic shift. The new arrangement moves FAO from remote oversight to an in-country representative, with FAO and Government planning to coordinate on climate-smart farming, youth agribusiness initiatives and targeted food security programmes across all four regions of the Kingdom. FAO’s support to Eswatini was previously led by a Representative based outside the country; an earlier FAO country brief, for example, lists the FAO Representative to Eswatini as residing in Zimbabwe.
A royal commitment fulfilled
The new FAO Representation in Mbabane fulfils a commitment made by His Majesty King Mswati III during his visit to Rome for the World Food Forum in 2024, where the King announced Eswatini’s intention to host an FAO office to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition, particularly among young people and women.
That intention was formalised on 14 October 2025, when the Prime Minister, representing His Majesty, signed the Host Country Agreement at FAO headquarters in Rome. The signing was witnessed by Senator Shakantu, Minister Tshawuka and other senior Government officials. At a bilateral meeting on the margins of the 2025 World Food Forum and FAO’s 80th anniversary celebrations, Dr Qu welcomed the agreement and reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to supporting the transformation of Eswatini’s agrifood system.
Minister Tshawuka said the agreement meant Eswatini was formally recognised by FAO as a country whose programmes would be handled by a representative dedicated specifically to the Kingdom. He also recognised Howard Velibanti Mbuyisa, who served in an acting capacity while FAO recruited a substantive representative.
Who is Rosanne Marchesich?
Ms Marchesich brings more than two decades of United Nations experience to the post. Before her Eswatini appointment she headed FAO’s Emergency Response and Resilience Unit, supporting countries to prepare for and respond to food and agricultural threats including natural disasters, food chain crises and protracted crises.
She has also served as Deputy FAO Representative in Vietnam, Bangladesh and Sudan, responsible for strategy development, programming and aid coordination. At FAO headquarters, she led the Food Chain Crisis Operations and Coordination team, and she became a prominent FAO voice during the 2019–2020 desert locust emergency, when she described the invasion as the worst in Ethiopia and Somalia in 25 years and the worst in Kenya in over 70 years. She is an alumna of Canada’s University of Guelph.
Investment, value chains and jobs
Speaking after her unveiling at the Ministry of Agriculture, Ms Marchesich said FAO was ready to support Eswatini’s efforts to strengthen domestic food production, improve productivity and develop climate-resilient value chains, while helping mobilise the investment needed to transform the country’s agrifood systems.
“Agriculture is about more than producing food. It is about livelihoods, jobs, nutrition and economic opportunity,” she said.
The bigger picture
Eswatini and FAO have partnered since the country joined the organisation in 1971, but the resident office changes the terms of engagement. With a dedicated Representative in Mbabane, Government now has a technical partner on the ground as it pursues a five-year food sovereignty goal that will be judged on harvests, import substitution and farmer incomes rather than on agreements signed.
Photo credit: Government Press Office
