Eswatini Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in eswatini, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Market Overview
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Eswatini is a small, mountainous country with a population of 1.2 million and is bordered by South Africa and Mozambique.

Eswatini has a relatively diverse economy dominated by the agriculture and manufacturing sectors. It has positioned itself as an export-oriented economy and tapped into several free trade blocks and customs unions, which offer a host of benefits to businesses seeking to penetrate the general southern African markets. 

Eswatini is a member state of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA, with 666 million people), the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC, 407 million people), and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU, 73 million people). Eswatini is a member of the Common Monetary Area (CMA) of countries whose currencies are pegged to the South African Rand.

Approximately 72 percent of the country’s imports come from South Africa and approximately 68 percent of Eswatini’s exports are bound for its dominant neighbor. Eswatini’s imports from the United States in 2024 amounted to over $46.1 million, growing from $38.1 million in 2023. Eswatini’s exports to the United States in 2024 amounted to $22.6 million, down from $31.3 million in 2023. Eswatini was the United States’ 160th largest supplier of goods imports in 2024. The United States had a trade surplus with Eswatini of $23.5 million in 2024.

Primary infrastructure (roads, electricity, water, and telecommunications) is relatively well developed and modern. Macroeconomic performance has improved over the last two years, with real gross domestic product (GDP) growth estimated at 4.9 percent in 2024 and 4.8 percent in 2023 (Central Bank of Eswatini Annual Integrated Report 2023/24).

Eswatini is eligible to benefit from the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative Act (TAIPEI Act), allowing the United States to provide support in various forms to countries maintaining diplomatic and/or unofficial recognition of Taiwan and support Taiwan’s participation in international forums.

The EU has established the Neighborhood Development International Cooperation Instrument (Global Europe) that finances development cooperation with African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries from 2021 to 2027, with sub-Saharan Africa constituting a priority region. 


Top five reasons U.S. companies should invest in Eswatini include:


1.    Extended market access into the region.  
2.    Quality support infrastructure and utilities.
3.    Stable and good industrial relations regime.
4.    Skilled, English-speaking workforce.
5.    Strong investor protection framework.

Political Environment

Visit the State Department’s website for background on Eswatini’s political and economic environment.

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