Africa-Press – Eswatini. Minister of Finance, Neal Rijkenberg, has officially opened a five-day Capacity Building Training on Financial Investigation and Asset Recovery, aimed at enhancing Eswatini’s ability to detect, investigate, and prosecute financial crimes.
The workshop brings together officers from key national agencies, including the Eswatini Financial Intelligence Centre (EFIC), Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS), Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Jointly organised by EFIC and the SecFin Africa Southern Hub, the programme forms part of the broader SecFin Africa initiative, which supports Sub-Saharan African countries in curbing illicit financial flows and strengthening frameworks against money laundering and terrorism financing.
Delivering his keynote address, Minister Rijkenberg reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting the integrity of the financial system and ensuring that public resources serve the nation.
“Illicit financial flows strip Africa of billions of dollars each year — money that could transform communities through schools, hospitals, and infrastructure,” he said. “For Eswatini, addressing this issue is both an economic necessity and a matter of good governance.”
He further stressed that the Kingdom must remain proactive in building technical expertise and inter-agency collaboration to dismantle sophisticated financial crime networks.
EFIC Director General Babhekile Matsebula highlighted that the workshop would sharpen participants’ ability to trace, freeze, and recover illicit assets while strengthening collaboration across institutions.
“This training empowers investigators and prosecutors to ensure that financial crime does not go unpunished — not under our watch,” she said.
Matsebula also emphasised that cooperation between domestic and regional partners remains vital for success in combating transnational financial crime. She added that effective asset recovery helps restore stolen wealth to the public sector, reinforcing public trust and accountability.
Throughout the five-day training, participants will engage in practical exercises, case studies, and expert-led sessions covering asset tracing, financial intelligence analysis, and prosecution strategies.
The initiative represents another milestone in Eswatini’s ongoing efforts to strengthen financial governance, uphold transparency, and safeguard national resources — ensuring that every emalangeni works towards sustainable national development.
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