Eswatini country handbook : supporting social and economic development in southern Africa : recent activities of the sub regional office for Southern Africa of the economic commission for Africa in Eswatini

Abstract

Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, has a relatively diversified economy, although it is more dependent on such sectors as agriculture, manufacturing and mining than on others. Eswatini is a member of SADC, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Southern African Customs Union, which includes four other members: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa. It was among the first countries to deposit its instruments of ratification for the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area, on 2 July 2018. The Sub regional Office for Southern Africa has been providing technical support to the Government of Eswatini to develop an inclusive financing model, promoting the growth of micro-, small and medium sized enterprises in the country, following a request made to ECA by the Government, through the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade. Since November 2019, when the first field mission to Eswatini was carried out, the financing framework for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises was designed. It is aimed at enhancing their growth and their integration into the industrialization process, in line with the SADC Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap, 2015–2063.