BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade has issued a statement, expressing its shock at what is said to have been done by the Federation of Eswatini Business Community (FESBC).
Minister of Commerce Manqoba Khumalo, in the statement, stated that it was misleading for FESBC to inform the nation of a National Industrialisation Development Program facilitated by various Ministries.
“The Ministry has learnt with great shock that the Federation of Eswatini Business Community (FESBC), through various electronic platforms, has communicated that there is a National Industrialization Development Program facilitated by various Ministries, including the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade. The Ministry notifies all stakeholders that such collaboration has not been formally communicated to Government,” Khumalo said.
He said the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, as a lead Ministry for investment promotion, industrialisation, MSME development and promotion, amongst others, had a programme of action with development partners on improving the business environment by ensuring the implementation of Government programmes.
According to the minister, the development partners collaborating with the Ministry have since denied granting or partnering with FESBC on any grant for economic development and promotion.
He said the programmes that focused on youth skills, employability and entrepreneurship were all championed through Government Ministries with development partners.
“Given that there is no collaboration between Government and FESBC on national priority plans, the meeting that has been announced by FESBC scheduled for 13 June 2024 purporting that there will be a discussion on various policy issues such as the Industrialisation Policy Overview by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Citizen Economic Empowerment Act, 2022 overview, and other presentations from different Ministries and parastatals is completely misleading,” Khumalo said.
In conclusion, the minister assured the business community that all formal correspondence on policy discussions and presentations were to be communicated through the relevant channels of communications.
