BY TANDZILE DLAMINI
MBABANE– Her Royal Highness Princess Sakhizwe has officially launched the Made in Eswatini Mark of Origin Licensing Program, a national initiative designed to certify and promote locally produced goods and services.
The program, recently registered as a trademark by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Trade, aims to strengthen consumer confidence in Swati products while encouraging the growth of home-grown businesses.
Speaking at the launch, HRH Princess Sakhizwe stressed the importance of supporting locally made products as a way to grow the economy and strengthen national pride. “When we buy and use what is made by our own people, we not only help our economy but also show who we are as a nation,” she said, urging entrepreneurs to protect their products by registering them for intellectual property.
The licensing program will allow businesses to certify their products under the Made in Eswatini brand, providing a clear mark of authenticity, quality, and local origin. By safeguarding intellectual property and offering a recognised symbol of excellence, the initiative seeks to protect Swati innovations and expand their visibility both domestically and internationally.
The program is linked to a broader strategy to promote youth-led economic initiatives. Speaking at the event, the Princess praised the collaboration between A Peculiar People (APP) and the Youth Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Eswatini (YCCIE), describing it as a “generational blueprint” for empowering young entrepreneurs. She highlighted that large sums of money leave the country annually to pay for goods that could be produced locally, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity for Eswatini’s youth.
The initiative also includes upcoming international engagements, including a networking dinner in Sandton, South Africa, and participation at AFRICON in Atlanta, Georgia. These platforms will provide Swati businesses with exposure to global markets, promoting local products on an international stage.
HRH Princess Sakhizwe praised the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Trade for formalising the Made in Eswatini Mark, now a registered trademark, and encouraged local brands to secure intellectual property protections. She officially blessed the launch of the Mark of Origin Licensing Program, describing it as a tool that will help consumers easily identify and trust Swati products while cementing local production at the centre of the nation’s economic growth agenda.
“Let us continue to choose local. Let us support our own. And let us build a future worthy of our beautiful Kingdom,” the Princess said. “May ‘Made in Eswatini’ become the signature of our shared prosperity.”
The program marks a key step in creating a sustainable ecosystem for local businesses, promoting entrepreneurship, protecting intellectual property, and ensuring that Eswatini-made products achieve both national recognition and global reach.
