The National Development Strategy (NDS)

This is the National Development Strategy from the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development, Government of Swaziland.

The purpose of the NDS is to formulate a Vision and Mission Statement with appropriate strategies for socio-economic development for the next 25 years and provide a guide for the formulation of development plans and for the equitable allocation of resources. It is designed to strengthen the Government’s development planning and management capacities and anchor it firmly to a national consensus on the direction of future developments in the country.

1. INTRODUCTION | 2. VISION | 3. KEY MACRO STRATEGIC AREAS | 4. SECTORAL STRATEGIES

1. INTRODUCTION

For twenty years after independence (i.e., since 1968), the social objectives of His Majesty ’s Government (which were stated as economic growth, self-reliance, social justice and stability), together with the policies and strategies for achieving them, were laid down in successive five-year national development plans and in subsequent three-year rolling development plans. This period also saw good economic progress and remarkable political stability.

In 1988, Government decided to embark on an improved and more comprehensive planning system designed to meet emerging serious challenges. The National Development Strategy (NDS) is part of this new planning system. The process of compiling the NDS started by the collection of views from the general public which was accomplished through the appointment of the Economic Review Commission (ERC) by His Majesty. The report of the ERC, published in 1995, solicited a national consensus and came up with recommendations which called for the formulation of strategies for satisfying the aspirations of the nation.

Following completion of the Economic Review Commission exercise which was the first phase of the NDS process, eight sector committees were charged with the responsibility of giving in-depth analysis to specific areas. The idea was to provide background material to guide strategic thinking in the formulation of the vision and the long-term national development strategy for the country.

Following the nomination of stakeholder representatives the consultation process was further strengthened by the appointments made by His Majesty to the stakeholders group. The representatives were entrusted with the responsibility of articulating a long-term vision, identifying the key areas of development against which national resources will be allocated and the formulation of macro and sectoral strategies for the attainment of the vision for the country.

The NDS document has been compiled on the basis of the report of the stakeholders group and it will provide a long-term framework (25 years) within which short and medium-term development plans will be formulated.

Flowing from the NDS are social and economic transformation processes which His Majesty's Government has embarked upon - namely, the Economic and Social Reform Agenda (ESRA), the Public Sector Management Programme (PSMP) and the Internal Structural Adjustment Programme (ISAP).

The current three-year rolling development plan and ESRA I and ESRA II, which are management tools, were prepared by Government on the basis of the draft National Development Strategy.

The 2022 Vision was launched by His Majesty King Mswati III.

27 August 1999