BY THEMBA ZWANE
MBABANE – Eswatini’s improving security environment has been highlighted in fresh travel advice issued by two foreign governments, with Ireland specifically stating that the country’s security situation has “improved significantly” in 2026 following the unrest that shook the Kingdom in 2021.
The latest travel advice from the governments of Ireland and Canada provides an updated international assessment of conditions in Eswatini, while also reminding their citizens to remain vigilant and follow local authorities’ guidance.
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs updated its Eswatini travel advice on September 16, 2026, with the information still current as of September 25. It places Eswatini under a “High Degree of Caution” category but makes a notable assessment of the country’s security environment.
“As of 2026, the security situation has improved significantly,” the Irish government states in its travel advice.
The Irish advisory recalls that the last significant protests in Eswatini broke out in 2021, resulting in significant damage and loss of life, while a series of security-related incidents continued into 2022.
The latest assessment therefore marks a significant reference point in how a foreign government currently views Eswatini compared with the turbulent period that followed the 2021 unrest.
Ireland nevertheless advises its citizens to remain alert, avoid demonstrations and monitor local and social media for developments, noting that unplanned demonstrations can occur at short notice.
Canada also updated its official travel advice for Eswatini on September 24, 2026.
The Canadian government currently advises its citizens to “exercise a high degree of caution” in Eswatini because of the risk of civil unrest. Its updated advisory continues to reference the waves of pro-democracy protests that took place across the country in 2021, while advising travellers to monitor developments and avoid demonstrations.
Canada’s current advice is therefore more cautious in its wording than Ireland’s assessment of the improvement in the security situation.
Nevertheless, the two latest foreign-government updates provide an important current reference to conditions in Eswatini, particularly when viewed against the events of 2021.
The improvement highlighted by Ireland is also consistent with other international assessments that have recorded a period of relative calm following the unrest.
A United States Department of State assessment noted that Eswatini experienced multiple disruptive protests and demonstrations in July 2021, with political violence continuing into early 2023, but stated that the situation had mostly remained calm since that period.
The US government currently places Eswatini at Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution, with its July 2026 travel advisory citing crime and sporadic demonstrations but not placing the country under a higher-level warning to reconsider or avoid travel.
A recent World Bank document also describes Eswatini as stable compared with its regional neighbours, stating that although the Kingdom experienced civil unrest in 2021, the unrest did not compromise the country’s security or peace for a prolonged period. The document identifies stability as one of Eswatini’s advantages in attracting foreign investment.
The developments provide an international perspective on Eswatini’s post-2021 trajectory.
The 2021 unrest represented one of the most serious periods of instability in the country’s recent history, with widespread protests, destruction of property and loss of life.
Since then, the country has continued with normal national institutions and held a peaceful national election in 2023, with a new Parliament elected. The US State Department has previously noted the return to relative calm after the period of political violence.
For Eswatini, the latest Irish assessment is particularly significant because it explicitly recognises the change in the security environment in 2026.
The reference by a foreign government to a significant improvement in security offers an international measure of the progress made since the unrest, even as Ireland and Canada continue to advise their citizens to exercise caution around demonstrations and other potential security risks.
The advisories also demonstrate that foreign governments continue to monitor developments in Eswatini closely and update their citizens when circumstances change.
Ireland’s latest assessment effectively places the 2021 unrest in historical context while recognising that the security situation in 2026 is substantially improved.
For a country seeking to strengthen tourism, investment and international confidence, such assessments provide an important indication of how Eswatini’s security environment is being viewed beyond its borders.
#Eswatini #EswatiniNews #Eswatini2026 #Security #TravelAdvice #Ireland #Canada #Tourism #Investment #PeaceAndStability #Mbabane
