The recently appointed U.S. Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires (CDA), Marc A. Weinstock, has pledged to use his tenure in Eswatini to boost business relations between the nations through the U.S. government’s idea of Commercial Diplomacy.
Weinstock made these remarks during a courtesy visit to Business Eswatini (BE) offices on Friday, accompanied by the Embassy’s Political Economic Officer, Allen Hodges.
They were received by BE’s Chief Executive Officer, E. Nathi Dlamini, who expressed gratitude for the engagement and reaffirmed BE’s commitment to fostering stronger economic and commercial connections between Eswatini’s private sector and the United States.
In his welcoming remarks, Dlamini provided an overview of BE’s mandate, highlighting its role as the main umbrella body responsible for over 90% of the private sector’s GDP contribution in the country.
He expressed pride in leading such a purpose-driven organization and reflected on Eswatini’s unique beauty, contrasted with the country’s urgent unemployment issues.
Dlamini also discussed Eswatini’s economic outlook, presenting an optimistic view of the future. He expressed hope that, despite potential changes, especially regarding artificial trade barriers, Eswatini would remain aligned with U.S. investors.
He acknowledged that the U.S. has a trade surplus with Eswatini and hoped this would benefit the country in future tariff negotiations.
For his part, CDA Weinstock praised BE for its role in contributing to the country’s economic development.
He then introduced the U.S. concept of “Commercial Diplomacy,” stating that it aims to deepen business relations between entities of both countries. He said he would dedicate his tenure to ensuring this concept benefits both nations and to unlocking investment opportunities.
During discussions, CDA Weinstock asked several questions about Eswatini’s investment landscape, and BE responded enthusiastically, sharing details about the country’s leading exports.
Looking forward, CDA Weinstock outlined the Embassy’s main priorities under his leadership and reaffirmed his confidence in the partnership between the U.S. Embassy and Business Eswatini.
The visit highlighted the shared vision of BE and the U.S. Embassy to strengthen economic collaboration and to ensure trade, investment, and innovation continue to promote sustainable economic growth.