Eswatini is turning global trade challenges into opportunities, utilizing the EU-SADC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) to drive an inclusive, export-led growth strategy that is transforming local entrepreneurship and job creation.

While traditional exports face pressure from shifting US tariffs and global market volatility, Eswatini is taking a bold step toward resilience by tapping into the untapped $114 million export potential offered through duty- and quota-free access to the European Union. Central to this strategy is the empowerment of smallholder producers, women-led enterprises, and youth entrepreneurs.

“The market is there. We’re helping businesses seize these opportunities, move up the value chain and tackle unemployment head-on,” said Sibusiso Mnisi, Manager of External Trade at the Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority.

At the heart of the country’s export strategy is the Promoting Growth through Competitive Alliances programme, a joint initiative between the International Trade Centre (ITC), the EU, and the Eswatini government. It aims to strengthen trade policy, improve regulations, and build institutional capacity, all while centering the needs of the most vulnerable economic players.

Over 6,000 entrepreneurs, many of them women and youth, have benefited from tailored training, digital trade tools like the Export Potential Map, and direct links to European buyers. These interventions have already resulted in 2,200 new jobs across priority sectors, including textiles, crafts, food processing, and tourism.

Notably, emerging local brands such as Tintsaba and Indzaba Yami have begun making waves on the global stage, recently gaining visibility at Paris Design Week, a sign that Eswatini’s creative industries are ready to compete internationally.

With 2024 exports to the EU already reaching $106.4 million, and significant growth still possible, Eswatini’s strategy is clear: build competitive, inclusive value chains that deliver lasting economic benefits at home.