Swaziland’s new name eSwatini now official

What you need to know:

According to the Times of Swaziland newspaper, the government has published the change of name in the Legal Notice No.80 of 2018 and signed by King Mswati III.

It’s official. Swaziland's name change to eSwatini has been gazetted.

According to the Times of Swaziland newspaper, the government has published the change of name in the Legal Notice No.80 of 2018 and signed by King Mswati III.

The gazette states that “the notice shall be deemed to have come into force on April 19, 2018, the day King Mswati III announced the name change.”

The king declared the name change during the 50th Independence Day celebrations.

eSwatini is the local language name for the country which means “place of the Swazi”.

The tiny African nation, landlocked between South Africa and Mozambique, is one of the world’s few absolute monarchs.

King Mswati, 50, who succeeded his father King Sobhuza II in 1986 aged 18, rules by decree.

He has often used eSwatini in previous official speeches, and lawmakers considered the name change in 2015.

According to the gazette, reference in any written law or international agreement or legal document to Swaziland shall be read and construed as reference to eSwatini.