UK, EIPA TO HOST UK-ESWATINI TRADE INDABA

MBABANE - The British High Commission, in partnership with the UK’s Trade Forward Southern Africa (TFSA) Programme and the EIPA, is hosting an online UK-Eswatini Trade Indaba on Thursday.

EIPA is the Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority. The theme of the indaba is, ‘Growing Opportunities for Eswatini to Trade with the World’. According to a correspondence from the British High Commission here in Eswatini, representatives from the public and private sectors (UK and Eswatini), as well as national business support organisations; will be discussing the opportunities to grow trade between Eswatini, the United Kingdom (UK) and the wider southern Africa region. The key objective is to use the Trade Indaba to increase awareness of the range of trade development assistance programmes and tools on offer from a variety of State agencies and trade promotion bodies.

Small business owners, particularly women entrepreneurs, are invited to join the discussion online to learn more about the TFSA programme, which is already supporting Eswatini businesses. The TFSA programme works through local business support organisations in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) countries and Mozambique, to address the main barriers firms face when venturing into export trade. Support and services are targeted at firms that are already exporting, or near export ready, with an emphasis on women in business.

Support

“As companies, especially women-led firms, get support to expand their trade horizons in the region and internationally, they will not only emerge better-prepared from the economic downturn, but also be able to benefit from wider growth opportunities. “Working with the private sector, customs and trade facilitation officials, the TFSA programme aims to ensure the provision of information and tools that will help manage export and import procedures and other challenges as effectively as possible,” His Excellency Simon Boyden, the British High Commissioner to Eswatini said.
 
The High Commissioner urged entrepreneurs, especially women in export-focused businesses to register by sending an email to thembinkosi.maduna@fdco.gov.uk to receive a link to the Virtual Trade Indaba. Julie Nixon, Swaziland Fair Trade (SWIFT) Country Director, said: “Swaziland Fair Trade is incredibly grateful to be working with Trade Forward Southern Africa (TFSA). Our partnership with TFSA has allowed us to build the capacity of 14 local food producers and 11 regional enterprises, helping them to improve their export readiness. As an organisation, we are also learning and building our own capacity through TFSA, allowing us to offer better services to micro and small enterprises. Our team is also part of the Future Females Project with TFSA, aiming to develop the next generation of female exporters in Eswatini. Trade, not aid, is the key to unlocking the potential of enterprises in Africa to create new sustainable jobs and overcome poverty in our region.”

For media enquiries, please contact:
Teetee Zwane - Political, Trade Policy & Communications Officer
Mobile: +268 7806 8807
Email: tsenjwako.zwane@fcdo.gov.uk

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: