The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has urged Eswatini to harness its renewable energy resources to strengthen energy security, improve economic resilience and unlock opportunities for sustainable investment.
UNDP Resident Representative Henrik Franklin made the remarks on Friday during the International Sustainability Summit held at Royal Villas, Ezulwini.
The summit was held under the theme “From Ambition to Execution: Building Resilience and Unlocking Business Value.” 
Franklin said the country’s transition towards a sustainable economy should not be viewed solely as an environmental obligation, but as a strategy for strengthening competitiveness, reducing economic risks and creating long-term value.
“Eswatini can use its renewable energy resources to strengthen energy security. It can develop more efficient and competitive industries,” Franklin said.
He said the country could also create value from materials currently treated as waste, expand sustainable agriculture, eco-tourism and nature-based enterprises and use green finance to mobilise investment into resilient infrastructure and productive sectors.
Franklin stated that sustainability is no longer only about making commitments or adopting policies.
He said the focus must now be on ensuring those commitments result in tangible changes in the economy and in people’s lives.
“The central challenge is no longer whether sustainability matters. That argument has largely been settled.
The question before us is whether we can translate these commitments into different investment decisions, different production systems, more resilient infrastructure, responsible value chains, decent jobs and measurable improvements in people’s lives,” he said.
According to Franklin, climate change is already affecting water security, agricultural production, infrastructure, the cost of doing business, energy systems and the livelihoods of vulnerable households in Eswatini.
He said increasingly frequent and intense droughts, floods, storms and wildfires are creating direct financial losses for government, businesses and communities.
Franklin further noted that changing international markets are placing greater emphasis on carbon footprints, environmental standards, supply-chain transparency and responsible business conduct.
He said companies that fail to anticipate these changes risk facing higher operating costs, reduced competitiveness and declining access to markets and finance.
“Sustainability must therefore be understood not simply as an environmental obligation, but as a strategy for economic resilience, competitiveness and long-term value creation,” Franklin said.
He also emphasised the importance of responsible investment.
He said businesses that respect communities, protect workers, manage environmental impacts and maintain transparent governance are better positioned to create lasting value.
Franklin said environmental, social and governance principles should not be treated merely as corporate social responsibility initiatives or additional reporting requirements.
“ESG is fundamentally about understanding risk, responsibility and value creation,” he said.
Franklin further mentioned that environmental stewardship, human rights, worker safety, inclusion, transparency and good governance are foundations of resilient and competitive economies.
The UNDP representative highlighted the organisation’s work in Eswatini aimed at supporting the country’s transition towards a greener and more resilient economy.
He said UNDP is working with the Eswatini Environment Authority, with funding from the Global Environment Facility, on reducing persistent organic pollutants and unintentional persistent organic pollutants.
He said the organisation is also supporting efforts to eliminate polychlorinated biphenyls, which can pose risks to human health and the environment.
Franklin said UNDP’s work in climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, sustainable finance, youth empowerment and green enterprise development is guided by the need to ensure that economic development creates opportunities while safeguarding people and the environment.
He further revealed that UNDP is working with the Central Bank of Eswatini and other stakeholders, with support from the NDC Partnership, to develop the Eswatini Green Finance Taxonomy.
The initiative, he said, is intended to guide financial flows and investments towards the green economy while helping prevent greenwashing.
Franklin urged stakeholders attending the summit to move beyond dialogue and focus on implementation.
He said sustainability should be treated as a continuous process requiring learning, adaptation and collaboration.
“When solutions emerge, sustainability moves from ambition to execution,” he said.
He said government, businesses, development partners, regulators, researchers and communities need to work together to develop practical solutions.
