Mbabane- Eswatini is seeking to use World Bank financing to stimulate private-sector employment and expand opportunities for small businesses, but delays in existing development projects threaten to slow the delivery of the country’s development priorities.
Minister of Economic Planning and Development Dr Tambo Gina has acknowledged implementation delays affecting some World Bank-supported initiatives, including the ASCENT and Basic Education projects, as government seeks to accelerate the rollout of programmes intended to improve livelihoods and strengthen economic activity.
The admission came during a bilateral meeting with World Bank Executive Director for Constituency 14, Africa Group 1, Dr Zarau Wendeline Kibwe, on the sidelines of the 2026 World Bank and International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings on Wednesday.
At the meeting, Gina outlined government’s priorities under the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) 21 financing framework, which provides Eswatini with an allocation of US$84.2 million, equivalent to approximately E1.5 billion.
A major component of the government’s plans is Jobs 4 All Eswatini, an initiative designed to promote private-sector-led job creation, improve the business environment and widen access to finance for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The programme is expected to receive US$40 million from IDA21, alongside a proposed US$10 million from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).
Agribusiness is expected to be prioritized during the initial phase, with government banking on the sector’s potential to generate employment, increase exports and strengthen rural livelihoods.
QThe programme’s emphasis on private enterprise places businesses at the centre of the government’s employment ambitions, with access to finance, trade and investment identified as areas requiring intervention.
However, the success of these plans will depend partly on the pace at which projects move from approval to implementation, a challenge Gina acknowledged in his assessment of the existing World Bank-supported portfolio.
He said government was strengthening coordination between ministries, expediting procurement processes, addressing implementation bottlenecks and improving project oversight to accelerate disbursements.
The minister emphasized that the priority was to move beyond funding commitments and approvals towards tangible results for emaSwati.
Beyond job creation, government has proposed allocating US$29.2 million towards water supply and sanitation, particularly in rural communities, while the Digital Eswatini project has received US$15 million, unlocking an additional US$4.7 million to bring its total IDA financing to US$19.7 million.
Gina said government was advancing the remaining national approval requirements needed to facilitate the start of Digital Eswatini’s implementation.
The three interventions reflect government’s intention to combine employment creation with investment in essential services and digital infrastructure. Their economic impact, however, will ultimately depend on whether the financing translates into functioning projects and measurable improvements in access to services and economic opportunities.
Gina also welcomed the World Bank’s support in debt management, domestic revenue mobilisation, cash-flow management, arrears reduction and public wage-bill management, areas that remain important to the government’s management of public finances.
He said the economy had demonstrated resilience despite a difficult global environment, with infrastructure investment and economic reforms expected to support growth in the short to medium term.
Nevertheless, he identified geopolitical tensions, volatility in global markets, energy prices and climate-related shocks as risks to the country’s economic outlook.
The minister reaffirmed Eswatini’s commitment to its partnership with the World Bank, saying the institution’s contribution extended beyond financing to include technical expertise, policy advice and institutional support.
For the government, the immediate challenge is to ensure that the resources committed to development programmes produce results on the ground, particularly in employment, enterprise development and the provision of essential services.
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