The Eswatini Civil Aviation Authority (ESWACAA) is overhauling its procurement model, moving away from simple transactional buying toward a framework built on transparency and long-term collaboration.
At the Authority’s inaugural Supplier Engagement Day, Director General Andile Mtetwa-Amaeshi highlighted this shift as a move toward partnership-driven growth.
The new strategy aims to align supplier operations with ESWACAA’s broader goals, ensuring that procurement processes are both transparent and strategically connected to the organisation’s overall success.
Held as a first-of-its-kind platform, the engagement brought together a wide spectrum of suppliers, described as the “backbone of the supply chain”, in a deliberate effort to foster meaningful dialogue and strengthen mutual understanding.
“This event marks a significant milestone in our journey toward operational excellence,” said Amaeshi. “For the first time, we have gathered the backbone of our supply chain in one room to foster a dialogue that is not merely transactional, but transformational.”
At the core of the engagement was a strategic repositioning of procurement within the Authority.
Moving away from the traditional view of procurement as a back-office function, ESWACAA is elevating it to a central pillar of its institutional strategy. Amaeshi emphasized that this shift is anchored in the Board-approved Stakeholder Engagement Policy, which commits the Authority to structured and consistent engagement with its partners.
“We are here to move beyond the ‘tender box’ and toward a relationship defined by mutual understanding, shared risk management, and collective growth,” he said. “Our goal is to ensure the sustainability of the Authority’s business while ensuring that our partners have the clarity they need to succeed.”
A key highlight of the session was the Authority’s candid acknowledgment of challenges faced by suppliers during the tendering process. Amaeshi noted that while many bidders demonstrate strong technical expertise, their proposals are often undermined by avoidable administrative and procedural shortcomings.
“We often see brilliant technical capabilities hindered by common administrative pitfalls,” he explained. “Today, we are pulling back the curtain on our expectations, what makes a winning proposal is not just price, but compliance, quality, and ethical alignment.”
This emphasis on transparency is expected to significantly improve the quality and competitiveness of future bids. By clearly outlining evaluation criteria and common gaps, ESWACAA aims to equip suppliers with the knowledge needed to meet the rigorous standards of the aviation industry, an environment where precision, safety, and compliance are non-negotiable.
Beyond addressing current challenges, the engagement also looked ahead to future opportunities. ESWACAA used the platform to provide insights into its upcoming procurement pipeline, giving suppliers a forward-looking perspective that enables better planning, innovation, and resource alignment.
“Transparency also means providing a roadmap,” Amaeshi said. “By sharing insights into our upcoming projects, we are enabling our partners to prepare, innovate, and align their capabilities with our future needs.”
Industry observers see this move as a strategic intervention that could stimulate growth within Eswatini’s supplier ecosystem, particularly by encouraging local enterprises to scale up and meet international aviation standards.
Amaeshi reinforced the interconnected nature of ESWACAA’s success and that of its partners. “ESWACAA is only as strong as the partners we keep. When you deliver excellence, the Authority thrives. And when the Authority thrives, our national aviation sector reaches new heights,” he said.
The Supplier Engagement Day sets a new benchmark for stakeholder collaboration in Eswatini, positioning ESWACAA as a leader in procurement reform and institutional transparency. More importantly, it lays the groundwork for a more inclusive, efficient, and integrity-driven procurement environment, one that could serve as a model for the broader region.