Accelerating job creation and productivity through vocational skills
By Mangaliso Mohammed There is a clear connection between skills development and productivity. Continuous improvements in skills of the workforce is an essential part of development, which can lead to higher economic growth rates and enable a country to compete against advanced industrial economies. Normally,…
Accelerating job creation through vocational skills . . . How can it be done?
By Gugulethu Mgabhi, Thembumenzi Dlamini and Tengetile Hlophe Government has, in its Strategic Road Map 2019-2022, prioritised industrialisation as a key area for resuscitating the economy. Increasingly, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is being recognised as a viable option for supporting industrial development…
Participating in data sharing for economic development
By Thembumenzi Dlamini Access to data in Eswatini continues to be a critical challenge, particularly getting real time or high frequency data. Most of the time, a data collector finds themselves straddled between a rock and hard place, as data sharing is not taken seriously…
Fast-tracking private sector-led skills development in Eswatini
By Tengetile Hlophe & Mangaliso Mohammed Government has taken bold steps towards resuscitating the economy, as evidenced by the recently launched Strategic Road Map 2019 –2022 in a bid to facilitate private sector led economic recovery and industrialisation. Resuscitating economic growth in Eswatini is not…
The economic implications of teenage pregnancies in Eswatini
By Nompulelo Dlamini Eswatini has over the years seen a spike in the number of school dropouts due to teenage pregnancies. Between 2001 and 2017, a total 82 978 teenage girls fell pregnant (Eswatini Health Management Information Systems). What does this mean for the country?…
Is public procurement a credible route to stimulate domestic economic growth?
Generally, public procurement provides a significant market opportunity for private sector firms since government, in most countries, is the largest procurer of goods and services. Public procurement in Eswatini accounts for 65.9% of all government expenditure (Basheka and Bisangabasaija, 2010). As a small and open…
The intersection between road traffic accidents and economic policy
By Temlandvo Maziya In Eswatini, road infrastructure is a major facilitator of social and economic development. The road infrastructure that government continues to develop is meant to improve mobility and connect people in different localities, facilitate trade, and induce productive economic activities. Proper road infrastructure…
Youth needs to leverage 4IR opportunities
The youth being the cornerstone of development and economic growth in Eswatini is evident in the high population of young people, which stands at 79%. However, this cannot be realised if this economically active population is constantly faced with a number of relentless challenges, the…
Bringing Eswatini’s youth into agriculture
By Sengetile Matsebula Agriculture is an essential driver of economic development and a sector of great opportunity for young people. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reports that investing in agricultural innovations will help feed an additional two billion people by 2050, eradicating hunger and…
Leveraging fintech to deepen financial inclusion in Eswatini
By Muzi Dlamini The age of traditional financial service providers depending on cash-in and cash-out services via banks and ATMs is on a downward trend as financial technologies take over. Financial technologies (fintech) are taking over the finance industry and have altered the financial services…
