By Phiwa Sikhondze
The Kingdom of Eswatini is set to host one of the biggest investment conferences ever in the country. Scheduled for April 2025, the conference has an ambitious target of attracting over E30 billion in investment pledges.
The event will bring together major players from local and international markets to drive significant economic growth and create much-needed employment opportunities.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Trade, Hon. Manqoba Khumalo, during an interview in Eswatini TV’s Market View programme where he outlined the government’s multi-pronged strategy to stimulate the economy.
The conference to be graced by His Majesty King Mswati III and Prime Minister, Russell Mmiso Dlamini, will serve as a platform for businesses to unveil investment commitments aimed at transforming Eswatini’s economic landscape.
“We are targeting investments upwards of E30 billion in one shot,” Khumalo stated. “This is going to be a transformative exercise, and we are excited to see the significant impact these pledges will have on our economy.”
The conference is the culmination of months of groundwork led by a high-level task team comprising key cabinet ministers from the Ministry of Commerce Industry and Trade, Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Natural Resources, ICT, Agriculture, and Foreign Affairs. This team of Ministers has already started a meeting with the view of engaging with businesses, both private and state-owned businesses that have mega-projects capable of delivering substantial economic returns.
According to the Minister, these consultations have focused on assessing the feasibility of each project and identifying the government’s role in ensuring their success.
“We are interrogating every one of those projects with the view of ascertaining their probability of success and also what the government can do to ensure their success,” he added.
The investment conference is expected to feature major announcements from both local firms planning expansions and international companies entering Eswatini for the first time.
By fostering these partnerships, the government hopes to address critical challenges such as unemployment and poverty, as outlined in the Prime Minister’s programme of action.
“Our Ministry is front and centre in that strategy, and I want to thank my colleagues, the various ministers that have agreed to work with us as a ministry on this initiative,” Khumalo said.