New York – Finance Minister Neal Rijkenberg is in New York participating in the Financing for Development Forum, where Eswatini is pushing for a fairer and more inclusive international financial system while reaffirming the Kingdom’s commitment to fiscal sustainability.
The forum follows the adoption of the Sevilla Commitment at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, where member states committed to closing a US$4 trillion SDG financing gap, addressing the global debt and sustainable development crisis, and advancing reforms to the international financial architecture.
At the forum, Eswatini is making clear its commitment to strengthening fiscal sustainability through disciplined public financial management, strategic revenue mobilisation, and targeted investments aimed at stimulating economic growth and supporting long-term development goals.
On the domestic front, the government continues to implement key reforms to boost transparency and accountability. These include the Fiscalisation Programme by the Eswatini Revenue Service to improve compliance and domestic revenue collection, as well as the rollout of the Integrated Financial Management Information System.
Eswatini is also advancing a private sector-led growth model developed in collaboration with the World Bank, aimed at creating jobs and improving the business environment. This includes addressing regulatory barriers, improving access to finance for micro, small and medium enterprises, and reducing the cost of doing business in the Kingdom.
At the global level, Eswatini is advocating for the preservation of multilateral trade and stronger institutional frameworks to support sustainable development and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.
The Kingdom is also engaged in discussions on debt sustainability, pushing for solutions that ease debt burdens for developing economies. Eswatini has welcomed support from UNCTAD, including participation in the African Initiative on Sovereign Credit Ratings and the Borrowers Platform, which strengthens collaboration among developing countries in managing public debt.
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