Africa-Press – Eswatini. he Kingdom of Eswatini has strengthened its role in regional trade negotiations by launching a national workshop on the establishment of a National Consultative Mechanism for Tariffs and Trade Remedies. Held, July 29, 2025, at Happy Valley Hotel and facilitated by the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Secretariat.
The workshop aims to help Eswatini build a coordinated national structure for effective engagement on regional tariff matters. Representing the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Dr Celucolo Dludlu emphasised the importance of the initiative in ensuring that Eswatini’s industrialisation agenda is well supported by responsive and strategic trade policies.
“Tariff and trade remain a key instrument of industrialisation. Therefore, it is of paramount importance for any country to ensure the ability to influence tariffs and trade remedies to suit its industrialisation ambitions,” said Dr Dludlu.
He further highlighted the value of being well-organised at national level to both initiate changes to the Common External Tariff (CET) and respond to proposals made by other SACU member states.
“When we are well organised nationally, Eswatini’s voice will be heard as is necessary. This workshop is therefore welcome as I believe it will put Eswatini in a strategic position for effective participation in the SACU tariff setting process,” he said.
The workshop also comes at a critical moment as SACU embarks on a broader transformation, with key reviews around its tariff-setting framework. According to Dr Dludlu, this offers Eswatini an ideal opportunity to deepen its understanding of regional trade processes and ensure that the outcomes reflect national development priorities. “This workshop comes at a critical time when SACU is undergoing a re-imagination process, which includes tariff setting. It provides a good opportunity to understand the regional process better and how we can make the best use of it for the benefit of our stakeholders,” said Dr Dludlu.
Importantly, the initiative ensures participation from both the private sector and civil society, strengthening the consultative process and promoting inclusive decision-making. “This workshop provides an opportunity to engage and benefit from inputs from the private sector and civil society. This ensures that the ultimate outcome will represent the views of our most important stakeholders,” added Dr Dludlu.
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade reaffirmed its commitment to creating a more inclusive and proactive approach to trade and industrial policy development in Eswatini.
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, with support from the SACU Secretariat, hosted a national workshop aimed at establishing a consultative mechanism for tariffs and trade remedies. The platform will allow Eswatini to influence regional trade decisions more effectively and align them with the country’s industrialisation goals. Dr Celucolo Dludlu, representing the Principal Secretary, highlighted the importance of the initiative in enhancing the Kingdom’s participation in SACU’s evolving tariff-setting framework.
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