Eswatini

Formerly known as Swaziland, Eswatini is a landlocked country between South Africa and Mozambique. A member of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), this nation of about 1.2 million people benefits from rich agricultural and forestry resources, burgeoning service and manufacturing sectors, and significant tourism potential. The Lilangeni, Eswatini’s currency, is pegged to the South African rand, providing economic stability.

While relatively conducive to foreign investment, the country’s business environment still faces several challenges, including an oversized state presence in the economy, lack of transparency, inefficient regulatory and legal frameworks, and heavy dependence on South Africa for trade and expatriate remittances. High poverty and unemployment rates, along with periodic episodes of social unrest triggered by political repression and lack of democratic reforms, further stifle the country’s potential for economic growth and development.