BY PHUMELELE GAMEDZE
MBABANE – Officials from the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development have strengthened collaboration across key government units through a structured team-building programme held in Durban, South Africa.
According to the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development, the programme brought together officials from the Microprojects Programme, Central Statistics Office, National Population Unit, Poverty Reduction Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, ACMS, SADC, Millennium Projects Management Unit, Sectoral Unit and the Macroeconomic Analysis and Research Unit.
The initiative focused on strengthening professional relationships, improving coordination between units and supporting more effective delivery of the Ministry’s economic planning and development mandate.
The team-building programme comes against the background of a Ministry whose work requires different technical areas to work together. The Ministry’s official mandate is to assist Government in the formulation, coordination and implementation of economic policies and intervention measures aimed at achieving the country’s major economic and development objectives.
The importance of inter-unit collaboration is reflected in the Ministry’s Economic Planning Department, which is responsible for coordinating development programmes, poverty reduction initiatives and capital programmes, while also undertaking macroeconomic forecasting and analysis to guide resource allocation.
The Central Statistical Office, another key component represented in the programme, is responsible for providing statistical data and information used for evidence-based policy, planning and decision-making for national socio-economic development.
This means that stronger working relationships between officials dealing with statistics, population, poverty monitoring, development projects and macroeconomic analysis can support better coordination across areas that contribute to national planning.
The Ministry said the Durban programme was designed to give colleagues an opportunity to interact outside their normal office environment and reinforce collaborative working relationships.
Activities included a facilitated visit to uShaka Marine World and a structured group excursion, followed by a dinner.
The initiative also aligns with the wider demands of implementing Eswatini’s National Development Plan 2023/24–2027/28.
Government’s National Development Plan places emphasis on poverty reduction, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, stronger monitoring and evaluation, and improved coordination of development programmes. It also calls for strengthened capacity in poverty monitoring and evaluation to support implementation and reporting.
Recent government reporting further shows that the Ministry has been working on strengthening monitoring and evaluation of policies, strategies and development programmes, including an enhanced framework for monitoring implementation of the National Development Plan.
Against this background, bringing officials from different units together can provide an opportunity to strengthen the professional relationships required for coordinated planning and implementation.
While the programme included recreational activities, its purpose extended beyond leisure.
The Ministry said the sessions created space for colleagues to engage differently, strengthen relationships and reinforce teamwork.
The dinner and group activities also provided an opportunity for officials to connect with colleagues from units they may not interact with regularly in their daily responsibilities.
For a Ministry responsible for coordinating different aspects of economic and development planning, stronger internal relationships can contribute to smoother communication and collaboration.
The Durban programme therefore served as an opportunity for officials to step away from their normal routines, build connections and return to their responsibilities with renewed emphasis on teamwork.
As Eswatini continues implementing its national development priorities, cooperation among the professionals responsible for planning, statistics, poverty monitoring, population matters, development projects and economic analysis remains an important part of turning national plans into measurable development outcomes.
Source: Ministry of Economic Planning and Development
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