ESA goes beyond preferential markets

MBABANE – The Eswatini Sugar Association (ESA) has as emerged the Best Global Exporter of the Year.

7he company was named the winner during the Eswatini Annual E[porter Awards hosted by the Eswatini ,nvest ment 3romotion Authority (E,3A) and %usiness Eswatini with support from the 8SA,D Africa 7rade and ,nvest ment Southern Africa %uy in Activity.

7he runner up was 0ontigny ,n vestments followed by 740 a te[tile manufacturer in third place. 7he e[port activity being awarded in this category refers to all products e[ported from Es watini to any marNet across the world.

ESA was named the best global e[ porter because of its footprints beyond the country¶s preferential trade agree ments with Ney trading partners such as the 8SA the E8 the 8. the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Common 0arNet for East ern and Southern Africa (CO0ESA) and Southern African Customs 8nion (SAC8) to e[pand its e[ports and increase marNet share. 7he company tooN the %est E[porter to the rest of the world award.

/ast year¶s winners at the Annual

Eswatini E[porter Awards included 0ontigny ,nvestments which won the overall E[porter of the

7he companies who have secured top positions at this year¶s awards in Eswatini will form part of a regional competition which will see local win ners compete against other e[porters from the SADC 5egion later this year.

7his year¶s awards ceremony also in cluded a peer learning activity aimed at helping new and e[perienced e[porters navigate the comple[ities of e[porting to South Africa and the 8nited States.

7he award ceremony was held last Friday at the +appy 9alley +otel. %usiness Eswatini Chief E[ecutive Officer (CEO) Nathi Dlamini received the awards on behalf of ESA.

Sibusiso 0nisi 0anager of E[ternal 7rade at E,3A congratulated all catego ry winners and the runners up. 0nisi said e[port trade formed a Ney part of Eswatini¶s economic performance every year. +e said in striving for eco nomic growth they could not ignore the marNets beyond Eswatini borders and the products offered which were well produced by local companies and in demand in these marNets.

:inners all categories are as follows. Entries were evaluated based on their e[port activity between April and 0arch .

(Pics: Nhlanganiso Mkhonta) Business Eswatini CEO Nathi Dlamini (c) received the award on behalf of Eswatini Sugar Association from the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade Siboniso Nkambule and U.S. Embassy of Eswatini Chargé D’Affaires Caitlin Piper.

Manager External Trade at EIPA Sibusiso Mnisi making his remarks during the event.