ESWATINI,GERMAN PARTNERSHIP TO BENEFIT LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS

MBABANE – Local entrepreneurs, suppliers and human resource will benefit from the Eswatini – German Chamber of Commerce partnership.
This is because 10 companies’ representatives are in the country to explore business opportunities.

The companies’ representatives were hosted by the Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority (EIPA) – a parastatal under the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade.

During a dinner that had the Prime Minister, Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini who was represented by the Deputy Prime Minister, Themba Masuku, the PM said the country was welcoming and had the infrastructure necessary to set up businesses.
He implored the over 20 delegates that were led by the European Union ambassador to the country.

The premier informed the delegates about the strides that have been taken by the country in making it an export destination. He cited the recently launched e-commerce platform by His Majesty King Mswati III as an opportunity for the business community to partake in intra-continental trade.
“Currently we have a number of imports coming into the country from Germany and the EU.

Not only are we rightly positioned for trade with other countries but we also present Eswatini as a manufacturing base for various products,” the premier said.

Cemented

This was cemented by Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade  Manqoba Khumalo.
The minister, when concluding the first day of the seminar yesterday, implored the companies’ representatives to challenge government in providing services that would be business savvy for them; such that they could register their companies within 24 hours.

He highlighted that with his background in the corporate community, he had been part of an entity that made over USD1 billion annually while it was based in the country.

“We offer better trade opportunities to the business community, much better than our neighbours as we are a member of COMESA and SACU.”
COMESA is the  Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa while SACU is the Southern African Customs Union.

He said this made trade for the companies within Africa easy while it also positioned the country well within the continent.
Furthermore, the politician informed the business sector that the opportunities that were in the country were also courtesy of the human resource that was available.

“We have 89 per cent literacy rate while the rest is trainable and has a strong work ethic.”
Khumalo said the seminar was not just about how many investors the country would secure but about the lessons that shall be established following the seminar that shall assist government in having commercially bankable projects that could lead to public private partnerships (PPP).

Highlighted

One PPP that he highlighted was that of Eswatini Railway – a locomotive company – that was pursuing a rail line that would link the country with South Africa.
He said the company had already raised over E500 million to fund the relocation of the homesteads and cemeteries that fall where the rail line would be constructed.

On the other hand, the companies that were present during the seminar to explore business –opportunities  were Airbus Defence and Space; Dunlop Industrial Products, Fraser Solar, German Missions in South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini and German Trade and Invest.
Also the attendees included Ikhono Africa, Messe Frankfurt, Siemens, Thyssenkrupp and TUV Rheinland.

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