Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Government of Eswatini has taken another confident step towards strengthening its investment environment by joining key stakeholders at a Validation Workshop on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Investment Protocol Report, held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mbabane.
The workshop was convened by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade and officially opened on behalf of the Principal Secretary, Ambassador Melusi Masuku. The opening remarks were delivered by the Director of Trade, Ms Lungile Dlamini, who underscored the importance of collective engagement in shaping Eswatini’s investment future under the AfCFTA framework.
Dlamini expressed sincere appreciation to the AfCFTA Secretariat and ODI Global for their technical and financial support in developing the report. She also acknowledged the Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority (EIPA) and all partners from both the public and private sectors who contributed their time, data and expertise to the process.
She emphasised that AfCFTA goes far beyond trade in goods, describing it as a transformative platform for African economies. “Investment is central to industrialisation, job creation, innovation and the development of strong regional value chains,” she noted, adding that Eswatini is well positioned to benefit from the continental market if the right policy foundations are in place.
The report highlights Eswatini’s strong potential to attract higher-quality and more sustainable investment, while also identifying areas that require further attention. These include fragmented regulations, limited coordination across institutions and gaps in transparency. Importantly, the analysis also recognises the positive reforms already undertaken by Government to address these challenges.
Among the key initiatives acknowledged are the proposed Eswatini Trade and Investment Promotion Act, the National Investment Policy, the establishment of the Business One Stop Shop, and plans to create the Eswatini Economic Development Agency. Collectively, these reforms are expected to enhance policy coherence and align the country more closely with the AfCFTA Protocol on Investment.
The validation workshop provided a valuable platform for stakeholders to review the report’s findings, test its recommendations and offer practical insights on implementation. Participants included representatives from government, the private sector, development partners and policy experts, reflecting Eswatini’s commitment to an inclusive and consultative approach.
Hosted by EIPA, the one-day engagement featured panel discussions, roundtable policy dialogues, expert presentations and breakout sessions. These discussions explored both the continental investment framework under AfCFTA and Eswatini’s national investment landscape. Stakeholders also validated the Diagnostic Gap Analysis across the four pillars of the Protocol: Promotion, Facilitation, Protection and Sustainable Development.
Key outcomes included the identification of regulatory bottlenecks, reform opportunities and priority actions needed to enhance readiness for the Protocol’s implementation. The feedback gathered during the workshop will inform the finalisation of the report and guide the development of a practical implementation plan.
In closing, the Principal Secretary, through Dlamini, thanked all participants for their constructive contributions and reaffirmed Government’s commitment to partnership. The overarching goal, she said, is to position Eswatini as a competitive, responsible and attractive investment destination that creates jobs, builds skills and supports sustainable economic growth under the AfCFTA.
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