Eswatini Country Partnership Framework 2024 - 2028

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00:01 The Kingdom of Eswatini is a small,

00:04 trade-dependent middle-income country in Southern Africa,

00:07 with a per capita GDP of about $4000 per year.

00:12 Close economic links to South Africa have strongly influenced its development.

00:17 From 1980 to 1995,

00:20 annual GDP growth averaged a robust 7% per year,

00:24 thanks to investment from South African firms relocating

00:27 to the Kingdom of Eswatini during Apartheid.

00:31 But at the end of apartheid,

00:32 most firms returned to South Africa,

00:34 and average growth in GDP plummeted to just 3% from 1996 to 2021.

00:42 Lack of economic diversification,

00:44 inadequate human capital,

00:46 and equitable service delivery,

00:48 limited resilience against natural disasters and economic shocks,

00:51 uneven economic policies and challenges with management of public finances have

00:56 not only had a negative impact on the business environment,

00:59 but have led to difficulties in creating new jobs and economic opportunities.

01:04 These have resulted in the high incidence of poverty,

01:07 currently at 59% of the population.

01:11 The country is also vulnerable to economic and natural shocks,

01:14 including drought and floods,

01:16 which impact particularly the rural poor,

01:18 who rely on subsistence agriculture for a living.

01:21 It has also had to contend with the COVID-19 pandemic.

01:24 It has further eroded growth and strained public expenditures.

01:28 Swatini's 2023 to 2027 National Development Plan seeks to address these

01:34 challenges by prioritizing the development of the dynamic private sector,

01:38 enhancement of social and human capital development,

01:41 and efficient public service delivery amongst others.

01:45 The Country Partnership Framework,

01:47 or CPF is aligned with the NDP and aims

01:51 to support the government's shift towards a sustainable,

01:54 inclusive and resilient economy.

01:57 The CPF builds on the lessons from the previous CPF

02:01 feedback from consultations with diverse stakeholder groups,

02:04 including government,

02:05 private sector,

02:06 youth and development partners.

02:08 The CPF leverages an existing World Bank Group engagement

02:12 aimed at increasing access to water and electricity,

02:15 supporting Eswatini's response to the COVID-19 pandemic,

02:18 and strengthening the country's health and basic education system.

02:23 Over the past few years,

02:25 the World Bank Group's engagement with the Kingdom of Iswatini

02:29 has grown substantially

02:31 with a focus on the two most vulnerable regions of Shiseleweni

02:36 and Lumumbo.

02:37 And this new strategy

02:39 offers a good platform for deeper engagement

02:43 with a variety of stakeholders

02:46 including youth,

02:47 women,

02:48 and the private sector.

02:50 The new country partnership framework

02:53 focuses on two main objectives

02:56 increasing

02:58 employment in the private sector

03:00 and improving

03:02 human capital outcomes.

03:05 The CPF will also scale up assistance to empower women and

03:09 girls and features digital development is a cross-cutting theme of the CPF

03:14 with the goal of enhancing access to

03:16 and utilization of digital technologies in SSwatini.

03:20 As the youth of SSwatini,

03:22 we need to capitalize on the opportunities presented to us by digital technology.

03:29 We can do this today

03:31 within our current constraints,

03:33 primarily by

03:34 advocating for and supporting

03:37 those efforts that extend the benefits

03:40 of digital technologies

03:42 to all Emaswati.

03:44 During the CPF period,

03:46 the World Bank Group will support the

03:48 government to improve public expenditure management,

03:51 enhance job relevant skills,

03:53 and improving competitiveness and access to finance.

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The Kingdom of Eswatini is a small, trade-dependent middle-income country in Southern Africa, with a per capita GDP of about $4000 per year. Close economic links to South Africa have strongly influenced its development. From 1980 to 1995, annual GDP growth averaged a robust 7% per year, thanks to investment from South African firms relocating to the Kingdom of Eswatini during Apartheid. But at the end of apartheid, most firms returned to South Africa, and average growth in GDP plummeted to just 3% from 1996 to 2021. Lack of economic diversification, inadequate human capital, and equitable service delivery, limited resilience against natural disasters and economic shocks, uneven economic policies and challenges with management of public finances have not only had a negative impact on the business environment, but have led to difficulties in creating new jobs and economic opportunities. These have resulted in the high incidence of poverty, currently at 59% of the population. The country is also vulnerable to economic and natural shocks, including drought and floods, which impact particularly the rural poor, who rely on subsistence agriculture for a living. It has also had to contend with the COVID-19 pandemic. It has further eroded growth and strained public expenditures. Swatini's 2023 to 2027 National Development Plan seeks to address these challenges by prioritizing the development of the dynamic private sector, enhancement of social and human capital development, and efficient public service delivery amongst others. The Country Partnership Framework, or CPF is aligned with the NDP and aims to support the government's shift towards a sustainable, inclusive and resilient economy. The CPF builds on the lessons from the previous CPF feedback from consultations with diverse stakeholder groups, including government, private sector, youth and development partners. The CPF leverages an existing World Bank Group engagement aimed at increasing access to water and electricity, supporting Eswatini's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and strengthening the country's health and basic education system. Over the past few years, the World Bank Group's engagement with the Kingdom of Iswatini has grown substantially with a focus on the two most vulnerable regions of Shiseleweni and Lumumbo. And this new strategy offers a good platform for deeper engagement with a variety of stakeholders including youth, women, and the private sector. The new country partnership framework focuses on two main objectives increasing employment in the private sector and improving human capital outcomes. The CPF will also scale up assistance to empower women and girls and features digital development is a cross-cutting theme of the CPF with the goal of enhancing access to and utilization of digital technologies in SSwatini. As the youth of SSwatini, we need to capitalize on the opportunities presented to us by digital technology. We can do this today within our current constraints, primarily by advocating for and supporting those efforts that extend the benefits of digital technologies to all Emaswati. During the CPF period, the World Bank Group will support the government to improve public expenditure management, enhance job relevant skills, and improving competitiveness and access to finance.

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