Doing Business in Swaziland

Subject (Course): International Trade and Business in Swaziland. Mbabane.

Syllabus:

1. Introduction to the Kingdom of Swaziland (Southern Africa).
2. Doing Business in Mbabane and Lobamba
3. Swazi economy.
4. Swazi foreign trade
5. Swaziland's Free Trade Agreements (FTA).
6. Market access
7. Swaziland’s customs: Swaziland Revenue Authority
8. Business and Investment Opportunities in Swaziland
     - Mining
     - Tourism
     - Manufacturing
     - Agribusiness
9. Set-up a business in Swaziland
10. Case Study: Swazi Companies
    - Royal Swaziland Sugar Corporation Limited
    - Tibiyo Taka Ngwane - one of the top players in Swaziland

Objectives of the subject “Doing Business in the Kingdom of Swaziland”:

1. To analyse the Swazi economy and foreign trade
2. To evaluate business opportunities in the Kingdom of Swaziland
3. To explore Swaziland's trade relations with the student's country
4. To know Swaziland's Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
5. To examine the profile of Swazi companies
6. To develop a business plan for the Swazi market

Sample of the subject - Doing Business in Swaziland:

Subject Description (Doing Business in Swaziland).

Tibiyo Taka Ngwane Swaziland

The Kingdom of Swaziland: a small African Kingdom based on mining (Diamond, coal, gold)

African landlocked country.

1. Borders: South Africa and Mozambique
2. The population of Swaziland (Africa): 1,046,000 people
3. Capital: Mbabane (administrative, 94.874) and Lobamba (legislative)
4. Area: 17,363 square kilometres
5. Languages of Swaziland: English and siSwati

The main religion in Swaziland: Christianity (83% of the population).

Swaziland belongs to the Southern African Economic Area of the African Civilisation.

Swazi economy. The economic profile of Swaziland.

1. Free market economy
2. Low cost of doing business
3. Swazi GDP per Capita: 3,565 dollars
4. GDP growth rate: 3,5% (2013, 1.7% in 2012)
5. The growth of transport, storage, and communications sector: 19.3%
6. The inflation rate: 4.3%
7. Key sectors of the Swazi economy: mining (diamond, coal, kaolin, quarried stones, gold), tourism, manufacturing (Motor Car Assembly), and agribusiness (agriculture, horticulture, forestry
8. The European Union and South Africa represent the 70% of the total exports of Swaziland

Nearest ports. The main import and export ports of Swaziland (landlocked country) are:

1. Port of Durban (South Africa). Distance Port of Durban - Mbabane: 537 kilometres
2. Port of Maputo (Mozambique). Distance: 80 kilometres.

Free Trade Agreements (FTA) and preferential access of Swaziland:

1. Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
2. Southern African Development Community (SADC)
3. COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite
4. Southern African Customs Union (SACU)
5. India-Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) Agreement
6. Preferential market access arrangements with the European Free Trade Area (EFTA) and the MERCOSUR.
7. Cotonou Agreement
8. Generalised System of Preferences (EU-GSP)
9. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)

Swaziland is a member of:

1. African Union (AU)
2. African Development Bank
3. Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
4. New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)
5. Forum India-Swaziland
6. Forum China-Swaziland
7. Africa-South America Summit (ASA)
8. International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Custom Organisation, the World Bank (WB), the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), the Commonwealth of Nations; Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries