Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) has held a stakeholder validation workshop on the draft National Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy and a combined national strategy for the Fourth and Fifth Industrial Revolutions (4IR and 5IR).
The engagement took place at the George Hotel on 24 February 2026, bringing together key stakeholders to review and validate the proposed policy framework.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Principal Secretary, EBIS Director Sabelo Dlamini said the gathering marked a significant milestone in Eswatini’s journey towards becoming a first-world nation. He reminded participants that consultations held last year had gathered diverse inputs and technical expertise, which informed the draft STI Policy and the comprehensive 4IR and 5IR Strategy.
“We are here to validate these blueprints to ensure they truly reflect the heartbeat of Eswatini’s future,” he said.
Dlamini described the workshop as a deliberate and strategic step towards shaping the country’s economic future. He stressed that embracing the Fourth and Fifth Industrial Revolutions goes beyond adopting new technologies and requires a complete re-engineering of systems to build a productive, vibrant and human-centred economy.
Quoting Klaus Schwab, Founder of the World Economic Forum, he noted that the Fourth Industrial Revolution presents an opportunity to harness converging technologies to create an inclusive, human-centred future.
The ministry aims to transition the workforce from low-value operations to high-value activities common in industrialised nations. By leveraging artificial intelligence, automation and the Internet of Things, government seeks to promote sustainable, high-quality and better-paying jobs.
Dlamini cited countries such as South Korea, Germany and Singapore as examples of nations that achieved digital prominence through clear data governance, strong research and development investment and a focus on digital literacy. He said Eswatini’s approach integrates 5IR principles, combining technological efficiency with sustainability and social well-being.
He highlighted the “Government in Your Hand” initiative, aimed at digitising public services and eliminating long queues and paperwork.
Priority areas under the strategy include Education 5.0 reforms, smart agriculture, health digitalisation, smart utility grids and expanded e-commerce for SMEs. To address cybersecurity risks, government has enacted the Computer Crime and Cybercrime Act (2022) and the Data Protection Act (2022).
Dlamini urged stakeholders to actively contribute to refining the strategy, emphasising that collaborative efforts across sectors are essential to transforming the nation’s economy and improving livelihoods.
