Africa-Press – Eswatini. The GDP growth of 8.3 percent, which is expected to be achieved by Eswatini in 2025, will be the highest in the SADC Region.
Business Eswatini (BE) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) E. Nathie Dlamini made this statement during the B2G Dialogue organised by BE at Royal Villas in Ezulwini. He urged Emaswati to take pride in this remarkable achievement and to continue striving for excellence.
During his address, Dlamini encouraged the nation to maintain a big-picture mindset and not to underestimate their accomplishments, as many other countries envy their progress. He stated that if the government’s planned programmes were successfully implemented, the anticipated 8.3 percent GDP growth would indeed be realised, highlighting that last year Eswatini was ranked among the top two countries in the SADC region for GDP growth.
Dlamini reassured attendees that the economic outlook was not as bleak as some might perceive, referencing that certain nations struggled to achieve even two percent growth annually. He urged fellow business leaders to remain proactive, as the target of 8.3 percent growth was within reach.
Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo, reminded attendees that the ultimate goal is to achieve 12 percent economic growth by 2028. He acknowledged the importance of setting ambitious targets and emphasised that although the current aim was significant, they should continue to set even higher objectives.
In a pre-budget conference on 14 February 2025, Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg confirmed the anticipated 8.3 percent economic growth for 2025, noting that the economy had grown by 4.8 percent in 2024. Rijkenberg aligned the budget growth with the theme of the upcoming budget, ‘Transformation for Growth,’ which reflects His Majesty King Mswati III’s vision for the nation.
The Finance minister reiterated the king’s desire for transformative growth to combat pressing issues such as poverty and unemployment. Rijkenberg highlighted the steady economic growth over the years, having recovered from a period of five percent growth and the challenges posed by the COVID crisis. With 2023 showing a five percent growth rate and 4.8 percent in 2024, he expressed optimism about the future.
His Majesty the King had proclaimed that 2025 would be the year of the Promised Land, signifying a new era of growth for the nation. Rijkenberg affirmed that this vision was not merely symbolic, but a tangible reality as the country steps into a new phase of economic growth.
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