Mbabane – The Ministry of Home Affairs has reaffirmed the Kingdom of Eswatini’s commitment to refugee protection and community integration as the world marks World Refugee Day on June 20, which this year coincides with the 75th anniversary of the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention.
This year’s commemorations are held under the theme “Solidarity with Refugees,” with the central message “Until Everyone Is Safe,” calling on governments and communities globally to take meaningful action in fostering inclusive societies where refugees and asylum seekers can rebuild their lives.
Minister of Home Affairs HRH Princess Lindiwe said His Majesty’s Government remains committed to creating an enabling environment for asylum seekers, refugees, stateless persons, and those at risk of statelessness. 
Eswatini acceded to the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees, its 1967 Protocol, and the 1969 OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. These international agreements have been domesticated through the Refugees Act No. 15 of 2017, which forms the cornerstone of the country’s refugee protection and management framework.
In the past year, the Refugees Department registered 272 asylum applications, issued 398 refugee convention passports, renewed 225 statuses, and granted 35 new refugee statuses.
The Malindza Refugee Reception Centre, located at Mpaka, currently hosts approximately 950 asylum seekers and refugees. The centre provides accommodation, healthcare, and education to newly arrived asylum seekers. Recent improvements include the erection of a security fence and the installation of solar floodlights, made possible through the National Disaster Risk Management Authority. UNICEF also facilitated payment of outstanding school fees for learners, created child-friendly spaces, and provided social workers at the centre. Over-congestion remains the centre’s primary challenge.
On education, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is funding the Malindza Refugee Reception Center Education Support Project with a budget of E4.7 million. The project aims to improve access to quality education for over 1,525 learners at Malindza Central Primary School and Mpaka High School, approximately 400 of whom are refugees. The funds have been used to construct a kitchen, eight furnished classrooms, a science laboratory, and equipment for design and technology. Waterford students under the Seed of Hope Project also donated laptops and refurbished a mobile learning container.
Over the past two years, 24 former asylum seekers and refugees were voluntarily repatriated to their countries of origin with support from UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration. UNHCR also facilitated the resettlement of three families to Germany, Sweden, and Canada over the past three years. The Ministry said voluntary repatriation remains the most prioritised durable solution for refugees in Eswatini.
The Ministry acknowledged the support of UNHCR, World Vision Eswatini, UNICEF, the European Union, the United States Embassy, the Taiwan Embassy, the Taiwan Children and Family Fund, MTN, EEC, EWSC, Ubombo Sugar, and the Rotary Club, among others.
His Majesty’s Government said it stands in solidarity with refugees and asylum seekers, and urged them to abide by the laws of the Kingdom and to learn the language and customs of Eswatini to support their integration into society.
