The Economy of Swaziland: Major Challenges, Recent Developments, and the Way Forward

Abstract

The current state of the economy of Swaziland should be of great concern to policy makers because like many other developing economies, the Swazi economy has experienced some worrying challenges in the recent past. These include the slow down in economic growth, high unemployment, budget deficits, HIV/AIDS pandemic, high incidence of poverty and educational constraints. The small size and openness of the economy have complicated some of the challenges. Also, the issue of governance has been a source of concern. This paper will examine the major features of the Swazi economy, the challenges confronting it, government strategies and policies put in place to meet the challenges and the way forward.