Eswatini: Promoting growth through competitive alliances I

    Overview

    Summary

    Project Summary: 

    Country
    Kingdom of Eswatini
    Duration
    5 years
    Period
    October 2020 – October 2025
    Budget
    USD 5.63 million
    Funded by
    European Union
    Implemented by
    International Trade Centre (ITC)
    Overall Objective
    Improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers and workers in Eswatini by creating better jobs and growth

    Background & Context

    The Promoting growth through competitive alliances I project works to increase the competitiveness and sustainability of the Eswatini MSMEs, Social Enterprises and Producer Associations through the reinforcement of the support institutions, the establishment of public-private alliances, and the improvement of the access to finance and investments.

    The specific objectives are the following:

    Specific Objective 1 (SO1): Competitiveness’ of the value chain actors assessed and capacity of support ecosystem analysed

    Specific Objective 2 (SO2): Public Private alliances convened in selected value chains resulting to improved jobs and growth

    Specific Objective 3 (SO3): Capacities of business support institutions and associations enhanced with improved and a more inclusive delivery of support services to MSMEs

    Specific Objective 4 (SO4): MSMEs, SEs and Producers association investment strategies developed

    These objectives are aligned with the ITC’s Alliance for Action (A4A) methodology that brings together public and private actors with the aim to promote competitiveness and income-risk diversification for MSMEs, SEs, Producer Associations and smallholder farmers, improving sustainable commercial linkages between value chain operators at the national, regional and international levels.

    The project objectives are also in line with broader agenda and development objectives as stipulated in the Eswatini National Development Strategy and Vision 2022; the 2008 Poverty Reduction Strategy and Action Plan; the National Development Plan 2019-2022; the Strategic Roadmap 2019-2022; the Industrial Development Policy; the Financial inclusion strategy and of course the recently developed the Economic Recovery plan of 2020 responding to the impact of the covid-19 pandemic. The project recognizes the need to promote a broad based industrialization by increasing the participation of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in manufacturing among other objectives. Similarly, the objectives outlined pays particular emphasis on boosting competitiveness and support the key actors, the Private sector and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

    ITC will be implementing two complementary actions funded by the EU: Eswatini: Promoting growth through competitive alliances I and II. 

    Recipients

    Partners

    Sustainable Development Goals

    This project contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals, as defined by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    ITC contact

    Kidest
    Teklu
    Email
    teklu [at] intracen.org