BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE– Ahead of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Business Council workshop on African Trade Observatory, The Kingdom of Eswatini has applauded COMESA’s support.
The applaud is for enhancing the livelihood of the youths and women in the Kingdom through the construction of the soon-to-be-launched Manzini Trade Hub.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation from Eswatini, Hon. Senator Thulisile Dladla, who was in Zambia on an official visit indicated that the trade hub is a milestone achievement in easing trading for over 300 handicraft traders and will impact over 400 businesses.
COMESA provided Eswatini with more than E3 million under the COMESA Adjustment Facility in collaboration with the European Union.
The last tranche under this fund was utilized to build the Trade Hub which will also house the COMESA Federation of Women in Business Eswatini Branch.
The Minister, said the construction of the Earth Dam at Mphakeni, and installation of irrigation equipment and piping, the construction of a cold room and the linking of farmers to markets in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives have been very beneficial to the people of Eswatini.
“Among the many projects that have impacted positively on emaSwati, is the construction of the Inhlanganisela Yabo Make Trade Hub, a modern and multi-purpose trading hub in Manzini, the busiest city in Eswatini. This project has the affections of, and personal investment through the donation of land from, Her Majesty, the Queen Mother,” the minister said.
She further indicated that Eswatini is one of the 16 Member States that received support towards regional integration programmes. Eswatini received E3 019 700 which was used for the construction of the Trade Hub, upgrading to ASYCUDA World, and developing the leather value chain among others.
