BY ANDREW DLAMINI
MBABANE – Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo has welcomed amendments to a bill by legislators in Taiwan, allowing tariff-free importation of 46 items from the Kingdom of Eswatini.
Khumalo expressed optimism about the business opportunities arising from this decision, stating that it would be particularly advantageous for local businesses producing goods in demand in Taiwan.
“We are pleased that Taiwan has indeed expanded the tariff lines. This is a great opportunity for local businesses as trading or even exporting to Taiwan would be less costly. We are pleased also that the Economic Cooperation agreement that both countries signed is still in place and it is bearing positive fruits,” said Khumalo said in an interview with Eswatini TV.
Khumalo also revealed that the Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority (EIPA) is initiating a countrywide campaign. The objective is to inform Emaswati about the specific products in demand in Taiwan, including nuts, dried fruits, and textiles to name a few.
“We have seen that every year Taiwan provides a platform for our local businesses to participate and showcase their products in different exports through the Eswatini investment promotion authority we’ve seen that the companies that have challenges in the past in showcasing their products in Taiwan due to expensive tariffs, so this is a great opportunity for EmaSwati,” he said.
Eswatini government is actively promoting this opportunity, and local businesses are gearing up to leverage the expanded tariff lines.
In fact, the move is anticipated not only to bolster Eswatini’s export sector but also to strengthen economic ties between the Kingdom and Taiwan.
