BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Federation of Eswatini Business Community (FESBC) is an employer Federation whose members and potential members are owners and operators of local businesses that are spread across all businesses sectors of the economy; the informal sector, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises mainly dominated by women, the youth, people living with disabilities and living with albinism operating businesses and within associations.

The Objectives are:

1. To promote and defend the general business interests of all its members in all such ways as may be considered necessary or desirable.

2. To facilitate, promote, improve and/or encourage Domestic and International Trade.

3. To facilitate creation of Commerce Industry of all descriptions for the empowerment of local businesses.

4. To secure the membership business people in the Federation.

5. To work for the maintenance of good labour relations between employer and employee and acceptable conditions of employment for both employer and employee.

6. To request and advocate the views and policies of the Federation concerning legislative and other matters affecting the interests of the Federation members, including matters of public policy and public administration.

7. To advise and inform members on all matters which may affect the interests of the Federation and of its members.

8. To establish and maintain contacts with international business organisations, commerce and industry, employment Federation and other similar institutions throughout the world in an endeavour to co-operate with them for the benefit of its members.

9. To collect, classify and disseminate statistical and other information of relevance and interest to members.

10. To embark on training and education for the benefit of members.

11. To provide a forum for consultation and collaboration on all matters arising out of the relationship between employers and employees, and to promote co-operation in this field between employers and the Associations of employers in various industries, trades and businesses.

12. To do all such things and other acts as are or may be conducive or incidental to the attainment of the objects stated hereinbefore.

13. To form such committees or other bodies as may be deemed necessary to achieve these objects.

14. To provide communications between the private sector on matters of general concern connected with economic development, investment employment, legislation, existing or proposed, and such other related matters upon which either the private or public sector shall initiate discussion.

VISION, MISSION AND SHARED VALUES

The foundational principles, vision and mission of the Federation are enshrined in the strategy and governance policies of FESBC as reviewed from time to time by the National Executive.

In keeping with the core values of professionalism, integrity, inclusiveness and accountability, the Executive Committee will report annually to the Annual General Meeting on strategy implementation and the performance of the divisions, Committees and /or such other organs as may be set up in furtherance of the aims and objectives of the Federation.

PRIORITY AREAS OF COLLABORATION

The prospective business collaboration can be on the areas that includes but not limited to:

1. Agro-Business

   1. Value Addition

Grains - maize, wheat.: meal and meal products

Legumes – soybeans, dried beans, groundnuts: animal feed and oil extraction; cooked and canned; pre-packed oil, protein, peanut butter, small packaging

Oil seeds (plant oils) – sunflower, cotton seed, avocado oil, sesame: pre-packed oil, oilcake for livestock feed

Fruits and vegetables: guavas, mangos, passion fruit, pineapples, cling peaches, avocados (for oil), tomatoes; onions (with tomatoes); canning

Cotton: production**, ginning and further processing of cotton**

Maize

Sugar: specifically syrup for canning

Red-meat: beef and goats: grass feedlots, slaughtering, red meat processing and packaging, leather tanning, leather products for domestic, regional and international export- EU but also in Middle East and Far East

Biomass: Conversion of massive liability into high value assets, with restoration of natural grazing and halt to soil erosion. Massive potential for income generation in rural areas, namely electricity, livestock feed, methanol for export, high quality charcoal and high value timber panels for domestic and international market1

Rabbit meat production

Garlic

Poultry: Stimulation of low cost and low risk production of ducks and geese and processing into high value products for export

Could be used for the following:

• Duck meat – both local and export markets

• Goose meat can be processed into sausages

• Lucrative local and export markets exist for down duvets, pillows, etc.

• Tanned leather products for the high value fashion industry2 – high value fashion wear such as hand–bags, gloves, coats and others

Freshwater vegetarian fish (Tilapia): Easy to produce on a large scale, large areas available for production, with high potential income from exports into restaurant markets

Wheat bread3, pastry, cakes, biscuits, pastas, etc. – replace international imports

2. Pharmaceutical

Cannibas production and processing for medicinal purposes**

3. Tourism (the country has beautiful tourist attraction areas that still need to be exploited other services can include but not limited to tourist buses, water slides and games, etc.)

4. ICT (Artificial Intelligence, Marketing Tools and Techniques, Production Planning Services, Manufacturing Equipment, etc.)

5. Aviation (passenger and goods)

6. Passenger Trains

7. Mineral Beneficiation (Iron Ore, Gold, Diamonds, coal)

8. LPG

9. Other services

Services that can be facilitated by FESBC include inter-alia

1. Business formation/information sharing

2. Trade facilitation (domestic and international trade)

3. Business to Business Forums

4. Dispute resolution

5. Permit and business documentation

6. Business linkages

7. Capacity building

8. Linkages with other business chambers, government and trade markets

9. Lobby for business regulatory reforms

10. Health and safety

FEDERATION OF ESWATINI BUSINESS COMMUNITY Office # 7, Y2K Building P.O. Box 5662 Manzini eSwatini

Tel:(+268) 2505 9199 Fax: (+268) 2505 9199

Email: fesbc[at]realnet[dot]co[dot]sz Website: www.fesbc.org