Princess Sakhizwe emphasised the importance of prioritising Eswatini-made products and youth-led businesses as she called for collective action to support local producers and build sustainable livelihoods.
She urged choosing and supporting local, while building a future worthy of the kingdom. She said vision on its own was never enough, but must be matched with discipline, commitment and a willingness to work.
This was during the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between A Peculiar People and Youth Chamber of Commerce and Industries Eswatini (YCCIE) at the American Embassy Corner yesterday.
The Made in Eswatini Mark of Origin Licensing Programme was also launched. This is a strategic initiative designed to help consumers easily identify and trust products and services made in the country.
The MoU aims to advance partnerships to support youth entrepreneurship, local production and market access under the Made in Eswatini initiative.
The entities are championing local enterprise which they said was not optional, but essential for job creation and economic resilience.
She said the Made in Eswatini vision found a strong and practical partner in the YCCIE.
Together, she said they had created an ecosystem where young entrepreneurs are not left asking.
She said young people had helped confront an important truth that large sums of money leave the country each year to pay for goods that could be produced locally, which she said was not just an economic statistic, but an opportunity for young people.
Princess Sakhizwe added that the collaboration championed local enterprise, local solutions and local pride.
She said when innovative handicraft is supported, the economy is strengthened and a sense of the nation’s identity as well.
She urged that the MoU be a living agreement, one that moves beyond signatures into real impact.
The princess said it should open doors for young entrepreneurs and empower young people to participate meaningfully in the economy.
“Today is such a proud and meaningful moment for me as a young person. I stand with you today, at the heart of a partnership that speaks directly to the future of our country.
“I have watched with great admiration, the idea of the Made in Eswatini grew from a simple idea into a national movement.
“What began as a call to choose local has become something deeper; a reminder that our sovereignty is expressed not only in words, but in action — what we choose to produce, and what we choose to consume.
“Today’s signing is not just a formality. It is a statement of shared intent.
“It tells us that when collaboration is guided by purpose and integrity, it can unlock opportunity and create real value for young people.
“What encourages me deeply is that this partnership does not stop at identifying the problem. It offers a solution and a generational blueprint,” she said.
She appreciated international partners like the US Embassy in Eswatini and the American Corner, where investment finds lasting purpose.
She appreciated them for fuelling systems designed for success and for fuelling the next generation of business leaders.
She also said she was encouraged by the role of the Municipal Council of Mbabane in embracing partnerships that place youth, innovation and local economic development at the centre.
This, she said, aligned beautifully with the city’s goal of inclusive growth, job creation and economic empowerment.
“To our young people, the door is open.
“Import substitution has been placed in our hands as the youth.
“Let this day be remembered as the moment we decided that the wealth of our nation must first nourish the land and the people from which it comes.
“The Youth Chamber has done its part. Bring forward your ideas, your products, your solutions.
“We are ready to wear what you create, to consume what you produce, to bask in your innovation and to grow through your success.
“This means more to us than you know.
“Thank you for supporting a virtuous circle where finance, production and market access are deliberately linked.
“I strongly encourage local brands to follow suit by securing Intellectual Property Protection so that it becomes easier to confidently use the Made in Eswatini Mark on their products, while safeguarding all revenue streams generated through their brand names and original concepts,” she added.
