Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Government of Eswatini is positioning itself to become a competitive player in the Fourth and Fifth Industrial Revolutions (4IR & 5IR), following a high-level Stakeholder Consultative Workshop held November 18,2025 at The George Hotel in Manzini.
The event focused on the development of the Combined National Strategy for the 4IR & 5IR and the review of the 2012 Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Policy.
Addressing stakeholders, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, Andreas Dlamini, said, “Together, we mark yet another key milestone in our nation’s journey to become a first-world country.”
He emphasized that the rapid pace of technological advancement requires deliberate planning. “Normally, industrial revolutions take decades to evolve. But the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth have come very thick and fast because of the rapid advancements in technology,” he said.
“Our coming together in this manner is deliberate, as we shall be discussing how we will charge the future of our economy and the destiny of our people.”
The Principal Secretary stressed that participation in these industrial revolutions is not merely about adopting technology, but about strategically transforming the economy. “Our collective goal is clear. We want to shift our people and industries from low-value activities to high-value-adding activities that define a truly modern and industrialized nation.
The efficiency provided by 4IR and 5IR technologies, such as artificial intelligence, automation, and the Internet of Things, will create quality jobs that are sustainable and pay better, allowing us to compete globally,” explained.
Drawing lessons from global success stories, Andreas Dlamini noted, “History offers no recorded case of a country that has successfully participated in the Fourth Industrial Revolution without strong, deliberate policy frameworks and strategies. Nations such as South Korea, Germany, and Singapore did not stumble into digital success. They curated it. They established clear policies that governed data, invested heavily in research and development, and prioritized digital skills long before the benefits were fully realized. Their example should be our lesson.”
He also highlighted the government’s commitment to inclusive digitalization through initiatives such as Government in Your Hand, which aims to digitize all government services to make them accessible, convenient, and transparent for all Eswatini citizens. “Recognizing the need to lead by example, the Ministry has proudly launched this initiative to accelerate our participation in both the Fourth and Fifth Industrial Revolutions,” he said.
The workshop brought together stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, who will contribute to shaping Eswatini’s strategic roadmap for technological and industrial advancement in the coming years.
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