- UNESWA Lecturer states that he expects economic growth to be at 0.7% for the country, unlike the 2% projected by the Standard Bank Group.
- Economist anticipates local economic growth to come from capital projects, which has been allocated E5.5 billion from this year’s budget
Photo Credit:https://www.gov.sz/index.php/ministries-departments/parliament
By Ntokozo Nkambule
Sanele Sibiya, an Economics Lecturer at the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) says how the country will perform this year is highly dependent on how the national dialogue will be handled. He says governments’ allocation of E22 million towards the national dialogue is good as it indicates commitment and bodes well for foreign investors interested in investing in the country.
Moreover, the UNESWA Lecturer stated that he expects economic growth to be at 0.7% this year for the country, unlike the 2% projected by the Standard Bank Group. Additionally, Sibiya said he expects growth to come from capital projects in the country. “There is an allocation of E5.5 billion from this year’s national budget and that is where we expect a bit of growth to come from. We do take into account that this money will mostly go into the completion of already existing capital projects, but we hope the amount will be used efficiently” he posited. Sibiya concluded by stating that it is critical that government fast- tracks investment in energy as the agreement or contract with ESKOM lapses in 2025.
The Lecturer was speaking during Standard Bank Eswatini’s Economic Forum 2022, themed “Business Sustainability during Turbulent Economic Times”. He said the country is about to implode on itself unless the national political situation is handled in a positive way. He noted that events that took place in June 2021 during the political unrest have indicated how this affects investor confidence. “We are certainly not investor friendly at the moment, and even if we manage to attract investors in the country, we will need to invest highly in security. If you have things being burnt every day, then as a country you also have to invest heavily in security” Sibiya opined. He added that what will also put a strain on the local economy are global activities, particularly the situation in Russia and Ukraine. Sibiya, who holds a Master’s Degree in Economics, and is also a PhD Candidate said the events in these countries will accelerate the inflation economic outlook leading to the country importing such inflation.
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