Mbabane – The Kingdom of Eswatini hosted the 31st Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts for Southern Africa this week, bringing together senior officials from across the region. The forum, organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, focused on building value chains and tackling trade barriers under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Finance Minister Neal Rijkenberg told delegates that Eswatini aims to turn AfCFTA agreements into real economic opportunities. He urged regional partners to strengthen value chains, promote industrialisation, reduce reliance on raw commodity exports, and support small and medium enterprises. Rijkenberg also said empowering youth and women with industrial skills is critical for Africa’s economic transformation.
Eswatini, as Chair of the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning and Integration, introduced the “Right of Supply” initiative. The plan encourages African governments to prioritise sourcing goods from within the continent, which would create guaranteed markets for locally made products and boost industrial growth in countries like Eswatini.
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