Eswatini Hosts GCTF Conference on digital entrepreneurship for youth and MSMEs

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye

The Ministry of ICT - Eswatini has taken part in the opening day of the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) conference focused on digital entrepreneurship for youth and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

The event was attended by the Minister of ICT, Savannah Maziya, alongside the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo. Also present were Jeremy Liang, Ambassador of Taiwan to Eswatini, and Marc Weinstock, Chargé d’Affaires of the United States.

The conference brought together international partners including the Embassy of Taiwan in Eswatini and the United States Embassy in Eswatini, as well as participants from Japan, Lesotho and Eswatini. The gathering served as a platform for dialogue on digital innovation, entrepreneurship and the growth of small businesses within the digital economy.

A presentation on Eswatini’s digital economy highlighted how the country can strengthen its position in the digital space and ensure that young entrepreneurs and MSMEs benefit from technology-driven opportunities. Discussions noted that while many citizens already rely on digital platforms for communication, payments, and business activities, the country must also focus on capturing greater value from the digital economy.

Participants emphasized the importance of developing local digital platforms and strengthening the capacity of local innovators to create solutions that can serve domestic and regional markets.

The first day of the conference also featured workshops and panel discussions on leveraging e-commerce platforms and payment gateways, as well as digital marketing strategies and case studies aimed at helping entrepreneurs expand their businesses through digital tools.