BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
MBABANE – Women and youth entrepreneurs are expected to benefit from expanded business opportunities following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB) Eswatini Chapter and the Youth Chamber of Commerce and Industries – Eswatini (YCCIE).
The agreement, signed on May 6, 2026, marks a major step towards strengthening the country’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector while promoting inclusive socio-economic development.
The partnership brings together two organisations with a shared vision of empowering entrepreneurs, supporting innovation and creating sustainable economic opportunities for young people and women in business.
Youth Chamber President Sakhile Nsibandze described the collaboration as an exciting development that would help bridge grassroots entrepreneurship initiatives with regional opportunities under COMESA.
“This is an exciting partnership for us as a Youth Chamber because we have seen that COMESA has a very good regional impact,” she said.
Nsibandze explained that the Youth Chamber’s grassroots reach would complement COMESA’s broader regional influence, enabling both organisations to create greater impact for entrepreneurs.
“As we are more grassroots as a Youth Chamber, the connection and the linkage will now be able to integrate the two organisations and make a bigger impact for youth business and women in business, as well as differently-abled people,” she added.
Under the agreement, COMFWB and YCCIE will collaborate in several strategic areas aimed at strengthening the MSME ecosystem in Eswatini.
These include enhancing entrepreneurship through training, mentorship programmes and business development support, as well as expanding market access opportunities both locally and regionally.
The partnership will also focus on promoting inclusive economic participation across key sectors, advocating for policies that support women and youth entrepreneurs, and mobilising resources to unlock growth opportunities for MSMEs.
Stakeholders believe the agreement lays the foundation for impactful joint initiatives that could drive innovation, create sustainable livelihoods and contribute to Eswatini’s broader economic transformation agenda.
#COMFWB #WomenEmpowerment #YouthEmpowerment #MSMEs #Entrepreneurship #EswatiniBusiness #InclusiveGrowth
