By Phiwa Sikhondze
The Kingdom of Eswatini has called for stronger regional policy alignment to address market access challenges faced by local enterprises, particularly concerning sanitary and phytosanitary measures, food safety, and international quality standards.
The call was made during the 5th Programme Steering Committee Meeting of the Regional Enterprise Competitiveness and Access to Markets Programme (RECAMP) at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel in Mbabane.
RECAMP is a programme that aims to improve the competitiveness and market access of private sector businesses in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
Speaking at the meeting, the Acting Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Trade, Cebile Nhlabatsi, highlighted the importance of streamlining trade regulations across COMESA member states to facilitate smoother market entry for SMEs.
“RECAMP has been instrumental in empowering our Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to seamlessly integrate into regional and global markets. By tackling critical challenges such as non-tariff barriers, regulatory bottlenecks, and business environment inefficiencies. RECAMP has enabled our enterprises to optimize value addition and capture new market opportunities.”
Despite RECAMP’s remarkable achievements in enhancing SME competitiveness and regional trade, the Acting PS noted that there is a need to address the persistent barriers that limit enterprises’ ability to integrate into international markets.
She emphasized that harmonizing regional policies and strengthening institutional frameworks is critical for sustaining long-term growth.
While Eswatini has benefited significantly from RECAMP’s interventions, local businesses still face stringent trade regulations that hinder their ability to scale operations and expand regionally.
“Despite these successes, we must address persistent challenges in market access, particularly regarding compliance with sanitary and Phytosanitary measures, food safety, and international quality standards,” she said.
“To overcome these barriers, we need concerted efforts in harmonizing regional policies, strengthening institutional frameworks, leveraging digital solutions, and investing in capacity-building initiatives.”
As RECAMP nears its final phase, the focus is now on ensuring that its impact is sustained beyond the programme’s completion. Nhlabatsi emphasized that regional partners must build on the momentum.
“As RECAMP approaches its final phase, we must capitalize on its achievements and maintain momentum. This programme is a strategic steppingstone toward deeper economic integration, market-driven development, and sustainable value chain competitiveness. I urge all stakeholders to remain steadfast in their collaboration, institutionalize best practices, scale up impactful interventions, and adapt to the evolving global trade landscape,” she said.