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

2. The Vision

Following extensive consultations as well as detailed analytical reviews of Swaziland’s social and economic performances since independence, challenges and opportunities were identified. Consequently the stakeholder representative groups settled on the following vision:

"By the Year 2022, the Kingdom of Swaziland will be in the top 10% of the medium human development group of countries founded on sustainable economic development, social justice and political stability".

What this vision states is that twenty-five years from the year 1997, Swaziland will have considerably improved its world standing in terms of measurable indices of human development. In its quest for the improved standing, it will rely on sustainable economic development; social justice; and political stability.

Underlying the vision is the focus on the quality of life in the country. The critical dimensions of the quality of life are poverty eradication, employment creation, gender equity, social integration and environmental protection. These dimensions are, in turn, crucially linked to education, health and other aspects of human resource development. These indices can be used to monitor movement towards the vision on a regular basis. Because other countries are also trying to improve their conditions, this vision is actually a moving target. What Swaziland is essentially saying is that it wants to move up the ladder for enhancing human capacities.

The vision will be attainable if vibrant economy and human and social development are taken care of. It is within the capacity of the Swazi nation to ensure that conditions necessary for achieving the vision are indeed satisfied.