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Trade agreements signed by Eswatini

Eswatini belongs to three economic blocks including the Southern African Customs Union, Southern African Development Community and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa.

Established in 1910, SACU facilitates duty-free trade among the five-member states. SADC is a 14-member state body established as Free Trade Area (FTA) in 2008. The 21-member state COMESA is a free trade area formed in 1994 to replace a Preferential Trade Area which had existed since 1981. The establishment of a single market through the merged Tripartite Free Trade Area (COMESA, the East African Community [EAC], and SADC was formally launched in June 2015. As part of COMESA, SADC, and SACU, Eswatini is a party to SACU-US TIDCA, SACU – Mercosur, SADC Investment Protocol, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)-SACU FTA, the COMESA-US TIFA, and the SADC –EAC-COMESA TFTA. Eswatini signed and ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) in 2016.

These trade agreements are significant to women in business in Eswatini as they allow them to sell their products duty free thereby promoting trade and economic activity across the region. Eswatini has also developed a trade portal which makes reliable trade-related information accessible to the private sector, while Eswatini Business organizes activities to make these instruments known to businesspeople.

List of signed trade agreements

☑ Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA, 2008)

☑ Preferential Trade Agreement with MERCOSUR (2016)

☑ Southern African Development Community (SADC) FTA (Protocol on Trade Goods)

☑ Market for Eastern Southern Africa (COMESA) FTA (trading under a derogation)

☑ SADC Economic Partnerships Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU)

☑ USA - Generalized System of Preferences (GSPs)

☑ Economic Cooperation Agreements with:

- China on Taiwan

- Canada

- India


Contact information
Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade
International Trade Department
Gwamile Street 
Between Eswatini Bank and Deputy Prime Minister’s Office
P.O. Box 451, Mbabane H100
Tel: (268) 2404 1808/9
Fax: (268) 2404 3833, (268) 2404 4711
Email: info@idtswaziland.org