… Eswatini recorded the second-highest level of support for free trade on the continent
BY THEMBA ZWANE
SIPHOFANENI – A Ghanaian media report has highlighted Eswatini as one of the African countries with the strongest public support for free trade, with 85 per cent of Emaswati surveyed supporting easier trade with other countries to create economic opportunities.
The finding was reported by Ghana’s MyJoyOnline on August 6, 2026, citing the latest Afrobarometer African Insights flagship report, Beyond Borders: Citizen Perspectives on a Shifting Global Order. The report draws on nationally representative surveys conducted across 38 African countries during 2024/2025.
According to the Ghanaian media report, Eswatini recorded the second-highest level of support for free trade on the continent, behind Liberia, which registered 86 per cent. Chad followed Eswatini with 79 per cent.
The findings indicate that an overwhelming majority of Emaswati favour making it easier for the country to trade internationally, placing Eswatini among the countries where citizens are most supportive of expanding economic opportunities through international commerce.
The continental picture also shows strong support for freer trade. Overall, 62 per cent of Africans surveyed said it would be better for their economies if governments made it easier for their countries to trade with other countries, compared with 34 per cent who preferred restrictions to protect local producers. Support for free trade represented a significant increase from 51 per cent five years earlier.
However, the Ghanaian report highlights what it describes as a striking paradox: despite growing support for free trade, only 13 per cent of Africans said they had heard of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Even in Ghana, which hosts the AfCFTA Secretariat, only 17 per cent of citizens surveyed said they were aware of the agreement.
The survey further found that Africans generally favour expanding trade relationships globally, rather than limiting them to Africa or their respective subregions. About 66 per cent supported expanding trading relationships globally, compared with 20 per cent who preferred prioritising trade within Africa and 8 per cent who favoured their subregion.
For Eswatini, the 85 per cent support figure places the Kingdom among the continent’s strongest advocates of greater international trade, according to the findings highlighted by the Ghanaian media report.
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(Courtesy Pic)
