Africa Update 2020 – Eswatini (Swaziland)

Anti-counterfeiting training

During March 2019, at the request of the Royal Swaziland Police, our Anti-Counterfeiting Team met with senior members of the Police to assist in developing and strategizing anti- counterfeit operations throughout Eswatini during April 2019.

This meeting resulted in a Brand Identification Workshop being held with the Police during the first week of April 2019. The country wide operations during the last week of April 2019, focused on food related products, during which in excess of 10000 units of counterfeit goods were seized. These operations were well supported by both the local enforcement authorities and INTERPOL.vc_column_text css”.vc_custom_1599745459448{margin-top: -10px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;background-color: #eaeaea !important;}”

KEY OPPORTUNITIES & CONCERNS

Opportunities

• Close ties with neighbouring South Africa provide a boost for the economy
• While land reform is unlikely, much land is agriculturally-productive land and can be used for food exports
• Tourism based on Swazi culture is established and has room to grow

Concerns

• A corrupt, dictatorial government has a poor human rights record
• The worst-performing economy in Southern Africa with a small domestic market that discourages industrial growth
• Government survives through nepotism and patronage, but civil servants are only one missed pay check away from an uprising