Bonn, November 15, 2017 – On the sidelines of the 23^rd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, (UNFCCC), in Bonn, the second meeting of the Joint Committee was held within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding on "Cooperation in the field of climate change and sustainable energy " between the Italian Ministry of the Environment, Land and Sea and the Swaziland Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs.

The Italian delegation was led by the director-general Francesco La Camera, while the Swaziland delegation by the Secretary Emmanuel Dlamini.

During the meeting, the concept notes referring to two project proposals elaborated, following the technical mission of the Italian delegation held in Swaziland last October, were approved.

The "Fossil fuel free and green building of the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital" project, provides for the energy requalification of the Manzini hospital. The interventions will ensure the hospital energy self-sufficiency, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the improvement of some services essential to the functioning of the structure such as, among others, water heating, premises’ cooling, instruments’ sterilization.

The "Strengthen Swaziland early warning system and climate services" project provides for the strengthening of the national weather forecast and warning system. The main areas of intervention are: the extension of the observation network with the installation of weather and hydrometric stations, the provision and use of models for short, medium and long-term forecasts and the creation of an alert system.

The Joint Committee also decided to approve an amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding, aimed at simplifying procedures, which also discussed various other project proposals. In particular, the possibility of carrying out actions in the agro-forestry sector has been evaluated, in order to ensure support for the livestock sector, particularly damaged by the worsening droughts that affect the country.