Eswatini Charts New Energy and Trade Pathways Across Borders
His Majesty King Mswati III appreciates a briefing from MIDAL CABLE Factory officials during the tour
By Karabo Ngoepe
From the bustling port city of Maputo to the Caspian shores of Turkmenistan, His Majesty King Mswati III has spent the past week advancing Eswatini’s strategic interests in energy security, regional cooperation, and global trade.
In Mozambique, the King made clear that Eswatini is ready to take a bigger stake in regional power generation. Visiting the Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) thermal plant in Maputo, His Majesty signalled the Kingdom’s interest in investing in projects that would boost electricity supply for both nations and the wider Southern African region.
Currently producing 106 megawatts from natural gas, the plant supplies only 5% of Eswatini’s needs despite committing 30% of its output to the Kingdom. The King urged EDM to explore increasing its supply to 100MW, offering Eswatini’s participation in developing new gas sites in southern Mozambique.
“The Kingdom is ready to jointly invest in projects that could meet our combined energy needs and contribute to the Southern Africa Power Pool,” the King said.
Mozambique’s Energy Minister Estevao Tomas Rafael Pale confirmed the potential for greater output but noted that further exploration is constrained by limited resources.
READ MORE: Eswatini looking to invest in Mozambique energy projects
“We believe there is more natural gas in the south than is currently exploited,” he told the King, emphasising that partnerships could unlock production.
The visit also included a stop at MozParks, a public-private partnership driving sustainable economic zones, where over 50 companies from 17 countries have set up operations, creating more than 10,000 jobs since 2002. At Midas Cables, a manufacturer of aluminium, copper and fibre optic lines, the King inspected products destined for regional power lines, much of it sourced from Mozal, the country’s major aluminium producer.
These engagements formed part of a broader message His Majesty delivered during bilateral talks with Mozambique’s President Daniel Chapo: that no nation, regardless of its resources, can prosper in isolation. Citing the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Africa’s Agenda 2063, the King stressed African unity, value addition, and intra-continental trade as the way forward. “If you want to walk far, walk together,” he said, calling for joint efforts in agriculture, tourism, defence, security, education, and energy.
From Landlocked to Land-Linked
If Maputo was about deepening regional energy ties, the next leg of the journey in Awaza, Turkmenistan, was about changing the narrative around landlocked nations. Addressing the 3rd UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), His Majesty declared that geography will not dictate Eswatini’s destiny.
He highlighted the Kingdom’s 8% economic growth in 2024/25, driven by mining, construction, and tourism, alongside fiscal improvements from stronger Southern African Customs Union receipts. Tourism, fuelled by cultural festivals and natural attractions, is now a major income earner for rural communities.
“Through partnerships, innovation, and connectivity, we will transform our landlocked status into a launchpad for sustainable development,” he told delegates, emphasising investments in broadband, e-customs systems, and the Royal Science and Technology Park to position Eswatini as a regional knowledge hub.
The King also pushed for infrastructure investment, upgraded rail, streamlined customs, and digital systems to reduce transport costs, which LLDCs pay at roughly double the rate of coastal states. He called on financial institutions to help close the half-trillion-dollar funding gap facing LLDCs.
Building Bridges with Turkmenistan
The Awaza meetings were also an opportunity to establish new diplomatic and commercial ties. Eswatini signed a protocol of diplomatic relations with Turkmenistan, opening the door to cooperation in agriculture, energy, technology, and trade.
Within a day of the agreement, His Majesty toured the Turkmenbashy Oil Processing Complex, a vast facility producing more than 150 petrochemical products and the Turkmen Bashi International Seaport. The visits tie directly to Eswatini’s planned E5.2 billion strategic oil reserve at Phuzamoya, set to begin construction this year.
READ MORE: King Mswati III calls for an increase in trade between Eswatini and Zimbabwe
The King expressed interest in Turkmenistan companies operating in Eswatini and in exchanging expertise on trade routes, despite the Kingdom’s lack of a coastline. Public Works Minister Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe noted that agreements with Mozambique could support Eswatini’s ambitions to join the International Maritime Organisation.
High-level talks between the two countries explored cooperation in ICT, mining, agriculture, textiles, and manufacturing. Eswatini expressed interest in Turkmenistan’s space and satellite technology, raw material exchanges, and importing cotton to support a textile industry employing over 30,000 people. In return, Turkmenistan welcomed proposals for sugar exports, fuel reserve partnerships, and bitumen trade.
Throughout these engagements, the King’s message has been consistent: strategic partnerships – whether with neighbours or distant allies – are central to Eswatini’s progress. The same principle underpinned his call in Maputo for African nations to rely less on external powers and more on each other.
From pursuing new energy investments in Mozambique to seeking trade openings in Central Asia, Eswatini’s latest diplomacy blends regional priorities with global outreach.
It’s a roadmap aimed at securing the Kingdom’s future, not just as a landlocked country, but as a land-linked player in the global economy.
Additional reporting by King’s Office Correspondents
