China outpaces United States in citizens' favourable perceptions.
Key findings
- Almost three-fourths (73%) of Emaswati believe that China's economic activities have "some" or "a lot" of influence on their country's economy.
- Emaswati see the economic and political influence of China, the United States, the European Union, and Japan as largely positive. o Despite a 9-percentage-point decline, favourable views of China's economic and political influence constitute an overwhelming majority (73%), well ahead of those enjoyed by the United States (52%).
- Fewer than one-quarter (23%) of citizens are aware that Japan gives loans or development assistance to their country.
With a population of just 1.2 million, Eswatini has focused on building an export-led economy as a key pillar of its growth strategy, leveraging advantages as a member of multiple free trade blocs and customs unions (U.S. Department of State, 2023). In 2021, trade accounted for 90.9% of the country's gross domestic product, among the highest rates in the region (International Trade Administration, 2024).
Eswatini maintains cooperative relations with major global powers. In addition to activities under the United States' African Growth and Opportunity Act (Mkhonta, 2024), one of the most notable successes of U.S.-Eswatini relations has been the U.S. President's Emergency
Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). In 2020, with PEPFAR funding and support, Eswatini became the first African country to surpass the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets (95% for testing, treatment, and viral suppression), well ahead of the 2025 deadline (Ndebele, 2023). Alongside the United States, the European Union (EU) is one of Eswatini's biggest development partners; its recent support includes €32 million for human development and social inclusion projects aimed at youth (Bertelsmann Stiftung, 2024).
Controversially, Eswatini is the only African country to maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, despite China's repeated attempts to persuade the monarchy to join the Chinese bandwagon. Taiwan's support to Eswatini focuses on rural electrification, health care, education, and infrastructure projects. For instance, the building of King Mswati III International Airport and the renovation of the Mbabane Government Hospital were made possible through Taiwanese funding. In 2020, Eswatini was Taiwan's largest trading partner on the continent (Odota, 2024). But even without a formally established relationship, Eswatini also maintains trade and economic relations with China. Eswatini's imports from China in 2022 amounted to $81.8 million, while exports to China amounted to $756,000 (Tiezzi, 2024).
Eswatini's relationship with Russia also covers various sectors, including trade and investment and education. Russia has long provided financial aid and scholarships to Emaswati students and is also helping the country explore alternative sources of energy as it battles energy instability (Africa Press, 2024a). Similarly, Japan provides support in priority areas such as education, health care, agriculture, food security, and climate change (Africa Press, 2023). To advance ties between the two nations, plans for the Eswatini government to establish an embassy in Tokyo are underway (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, 2024).
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How do Emaswati see the influence of global powers on their country?
The latest Afrobarometer survey, conducted in late 2022, shows that Emaswati believe that China's economic activities have a significant impact on their economy, and perceptions of China's economic and political influence are overwhelmingly positive - even if somewhat less so than a year earlier. Assessments of the influence of the United States, the European Union, and Japan are also largely favourable.
Asafika Mpako Asafika is the communications coordinator for Southern Africa
Stephen Ndoma Stephen is the assistant project manager for Southern Africa
