Eswatini to unlock her export potential
MBABANE – With the global scarcity of commodities, the World Bank has advised Eswatini to unlock her export potential to boost growth and jobs in Eswatini.
This was mentioned by Kevin Njiraini, International Finance Corporation (IFC) Director for Southern Africa and Marie Francoise Nelly, World Bank Country Director for Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa in a combined report.
They said with a fundamental shift to an export-led, private sector growth model, that will attract much-needed investment and create jobs, Eswatini could leverage her many strengths to unlock greater private investment and participation in its economy.
A new report published recently by their teams at IFC and the World Bank, the Eswatini country private sector diagnostic (CPSD), outlines how this could be done, through bold policy actions and reforms that increase competitiveness and improve trade logistics.
To achieve this, the CPSD makes several recommendations which include expanding export markets and taking advantage of emerging opportunities offered by trade preferences,
MBABANE – Leica Geosystems (Pty) Ltd has been enlisted as the best evaluated tenderer to be awarded the Eswatini Electricity Company (ECC) Tender.
This was revealed by the Eswatini Public Procurement Regulatory Agency (ESPPRA) in their website.
The intention to award the company was published last week and they are expected to begin executing it after a period of 10 working days, should they not be contested. According to the regulator, EEC was looking for a contractor for the supply, installation, and commissioning of a
NAME
Outlines
Leica Geosystems
Optron (Pty) Ltd especially for products like beef, textiles and the movement toward freer trade within the region through the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement.
Another suggestion by the CPSD was for Eswatini to create a more level playing field for investors, including the reduction of the footprint of State-owned enterprises, promoting competitive neutrality, and improving the regulatory environment to help reduce the costs of doing business.
Access
They said providing more affordable and quality broadband access to support the digital transformation of the economy.
The economist added that harnessing continuously operating reference stations network (CORS)
The proposed contract price was E3 604 126.20. Worth noting, construction companies in Eswatini dominated the list of awarded contracts which were afore awarded to foreign companies, small constructions companies which are based in the country have acquired over 10 tenders, which were afore granted to big companies and those abroad.
Local
This is in line with the provision and procurement of tenders in the Public Procurement Regulations, which state that local companies will be granted preferences in the evaluation of tenders in public procurement.
DETAILS OF ALL EVALUATED RESPONSIVE TENDERERS (Pty) Ltd
NATIONALITY
South African
South African
TEVALUATED PRICE
E3 604 126.20
N/A
COMMENT
Best evaluated tenderer.
Bidder did not meet the minimum technical score is a challenging daily grid to tease your mind and test your ability with numbers.
Just fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. The numbers do not have to add up to anything. the entrepreneurial spirit of the country’s young population and unlocking the potential of digital technologies to spark innovation and raise productivity across sectors would help the country’s economy.
They also mentioned that strengthening regulatory reforms to foster new financial products and well-designed, well-implemented support programmes that help improve skills and capabilities for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises; and taking action to foster climate resilience and improve water security.
Marie said following independence in 1968, the Kingdom of Eswatini successfully established itself as an attractive investment destination.
She said the country’s proximity to South Africa’s large market, political stability and sound macro-fiscal management helped bring in more foreign and domestic Dollars to boost the economy.
This development model served the country well, supporting economic growth averaging 7.6 per cent annually between 1980 and 1995.
“By the late 1990s, however, as regional competition for investment and demand for skilled labuor increased after South Africa’s democratic transition, performance began to erode.
“Private investment declined, and Eswatini shifted towards more government-led
Leica Geosystems (Pty) Ltd was competing with Optron (Pty) Ltd from South Africa for the tender. The total evaluation score for the two companies were revealed in the tender document but it was indicated that Optron (Pty) Ltd did not meet the minimum technical score.
Approved
EEC was the procuring entity for the tender, which was approved by the authority of the Board. ESPPRA requested the unsuccessful bidder to submit an application for review with the agency within 10 working days.
“All tenderers who submitted bids are hereby notified that a period of 10 working days is hereby allowed for submission of any application for review,” said ESPPRA. The agency also mentioned that the tender did not constitute a contract. consumption, a model that has become increasingly unsustainable.
“To recover, Eswatini must rethink its development model and focus its public spending more directly toward infrastructure, health, education, and social protection to boost skills and human capital,” she added.
As identified in the CPSD, key sectors like sugar, beef, forestry, and textiles and apparel present major opportunities for investment and export growth.
The country will benefit from addressing cross-cutting challenges hindering entrepreneurship and the growth of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
Recommendations
Njiraini added that Eswatini was not starting from scratch. He said they know that many of the recommendations outlined in the CPSD have been identified in the government’s National Development Plan 2019/20-2021/22 and its post-COVID-19 recovery strategy.
“The time is right to accelerate the implementation of these recommendations and recognise the important role that the private sector can play to enhance economic growth, create jobs, and boost exports,” he added.
The Eswatini CPSD was prepared with a view to identifying actions that can help the government implement its development agenda.
The World Bank Group will continue its longstanding commitment to support the country in its efforts.