The event, which will take place under the theme "Creating Opportunities for Rapid Economic Transformation", is being spearheaded by the eSwatini Investment Promotion Authority (EIPA).

EIPA Chief Executive Officer, Sibani Mngomezulu, says the government agency has worked tirelessly to prepare the country for investment opportunities. “We have been working very hard to position the Kingdom as a premier investment destination in the region,” said Mngomezulu.

Martin Masilela, Executive Manager for Trade Promotion at EIPA, said the conference will unveil Eswatini’s new investment policy, which aims to streamline processes and improve ease of doing business. “We are working to register businesses efficiently and operate a one-stop shop service facility for investors,” he said.

While Eswatini’s relatively small domestic market and lack of immediate access to seaports present logistical challenges, Masilela believes the country's strengths lie in targeted investment sectors, including mining, energy, tourism, ICT, education, manufacturing, and agribusiness.

“In the past two years, we have issued more mining licences than in the last decade, and we’re pushing renewable energy initiatives to reduce our reliance on imported electricity,” he said. “We are also looking to process more of our agricultural products like sugar and timber, which  eSwatini produces in large volumes.”

Masilela revealed that the conference will announce more than R20 billion worth of investment projects expected to roll out over the next three to five years. “These are bankable projects with a value of at least R1 billion each,” he explained. “We’ve screened a number of them and want to bring together investors, financiers, project promoters, and policy-makers under one roof.”

Key stakeholders expected to attend include representatives from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), African banks, and multilateral finance institutions.


--ChannelAfrica--