By King’s Office Correspondents
Abu Dhabi, UAE – The United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Eswatini have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the mutual exemption of entry visa requirements for diplomatic and service passport holders.
The agreement was signed on behalf of the UAE by Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State and on behalf of Eswatini by Princess Lindiwe, Minister for Home Affairs.
Both sides described the move as a clear reflection of their shared commitment to fostering closer people-to-people ties, while facilitating greater business, investment and official exchanges between the Gulf state and the Southern African kingdom.
This visa waiver arrangement is expected to support the expansion of economic and diplomatic cooperation. It forms part of a series of recent agreements that highlight the growing strategic alignment between the UAE and Eswatini.
Formal diplomatic relations between the United Arab Emirates and Eswatini were established on November 2, 2005. Since then, the partnership has evolved steadily from basic diplomatic engagement into more substantive collaboration.
High-level interactions have intensified in recent years. Key milestones include the signing of an Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement in August 2024 and an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement in February 2025. These accords provide a stronger legal framework for investors and are designed to stimulate capital flows and economic collaboration. The new visa waiver MoU builds directly on this foundation by removing a practical barrier to increased engagement, making it simpler for travel between the two countries.
Bilateral trade with the UAE, though still modest, shows encouraging signs of potential growth. In 2023, Eswatini exported goods worth approximately US$8.7 million to the UAE (around E150–157 million). Imports from the UAE were higher with the Gulf state supplying machinery, vehicles, consumer goods and other products.
Both governments have emphasised that the memorandum reflects the strong friendship between the two nations and their mutual desire to advance shared interests and reflect a deepening friendship and a clear commitment to expanding cooperation across a wide range of mutual interests in the years ahead.
