BY THEMBA ZWANE
MBABANE– Eswatini is set to take its place on the international stage at Japan’s GREEN×EXPO 2027, with the country officially listed among the nations scheduled to participate in the major World Horticultural Exhibition to be held in Yokohama next year.
Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on September 10 that Eswatini is among the countries that have announced their scheduled participation in the Expo, alongside nations from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas and the Pacific. The Japanese Government said the participation list, based on information available as of September 7, would continue to be updated.
Eswatini’s participation had already been formally secured earlier this year when the GREEN×EXPO Association signed an official participation contract with the Kingdom on February 26, 2026.
According to the official GREEN×EXPO organisers, the signing marked the beginning of practical preparations for Eswatini’s participation in the exhibition.
The international exhibition will take place in Yokohama, Japan, from March 19 to September 26, 2027, under the theme “Scenery of the Future for Happiness.”
GREEN×EXPO 2027 is designed to go beyond a conventional horticultural exhibition. Japan says the event will use flowers, greenery, agriculture and landscaping to explore how societies can build a sustainable future while strengthening communities and addressing social challenges.
The organisers expect the six-month exhibition to attract about 15 million visitors, including more than 10 million paying visitors, making it a major international platform for countries and organisations to present ideas, technologies, cultures and approaches linked to sustainable development.
The Expo’s programme is built around four major sub-themes: co-adaptation, co-existence, co-creation and co-operation.
Co-adaptation focuses on harmony with nature and the use of green infrastructure to create sustainable, safe and attractive cities.
Co-existence looks at how greenery and agriculture can help build communities where people work together and support one another.
Co-creation focuses on the development of new industries and technologies, including innovation in horticulture, agriculture and life sciences.
Co-operation promotes international exchange and collaboration among governments, businesses, research institutions, educational institutions and communities.
For Eswatini, the Expo provides an international platform at a time when issues of agriculture, environmental sustainability, food production, rural development and climate resilience are increasingly important to development planning.
The official Expo organisers say participating countries will have opportunities to introduce their horticultural and agricultural cultures, food, green initiatives and approaches to creating a greener society. Countries may also organise national and special days and present gardens, architecture, plants, crafts and other cultural elements.
Japan has positioned GREEN×EXPO 2027 as an opportunity to demonstrate its own model of a “Green City”, bringing together government, businesses and citizens to explore ways of creating urban environments that coexist with nature.
The exhibition will also promote horticulture, landscaping and agriculture, while encouraging the preservation of traditional horticultural techniques and genetic resources.
Another major component will be the creation of new economic opportunities around green technologies and industries. Japan’s official Expo material highlights areas including green infrastructure, agriculture, rural-community revitalisation, tourism and regional development.
The event is being staged at the former Kamiseya Communication Facility in Yokohama’s Asahi and Seya wards, with the main event area covering about 80 hectares within an approximately 100-hectare Expo site.
The Japanese Government has also established a dedicated office within its Ministry of Foreign Affairs to handle its international engagement around GREEN×EXPO 2027, including inviting foreign countries to participate. Japan says the exhibition is intended to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and promoting a green society.
Eswatini is joining a large international field. Japan’s September participation list includes African countries such as South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia’s neighbours and other countries across the continent, alongside countries from Asia, Europe, the Pacific, the Middle East and the Americas.
The Expo therefore presents an opportunity for Eswatini to engage with a diverse international audience on matters connected to agriculture, horticulture, environmental protection, sustainability and green economic development.
With the official participation agreement already signed and Japan now confirming Eswatini among the scheduled participating countries, attention will turn to the country’s preparations and the specific programme, exhibits and activities it will bring to Yokohama.
The participation also strengthens Eswatini’s visibility in Japan ahead of the six-month international exhibition, which is expected to serve as a meeting point for countries seeking practical approaches to the relationship between nature, agriculture, technology, economic development and human wellbeing.
GREEN×EXPO 2027 will ultimately seek to present what its organisers describe as a future in which people and nature can coexist, using flowers, greenery, agriculture and innovation to inspire new approaches to sustainable development.
For Eswatini, its participation offers an opportunity to present the Kingdom’s own green and agricultural story to an international audience while engaging with other countries on ideas and technologies shaping the future of sustainable development.
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(Courtesy Pic)
