Economist in Eswatini

Before growing challenges spanning from the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and the impacts of the war in Ukraine among others, with significant bearing on the vulnerability of the Swazi population, the economist in the Resident Coordinator’s office in Eswatini, Mphucuko Mamba, led the update of the UN Common Country Analysis (CCA) and the provision of support to the national Government in developing their 2022 Voluntary National Review (VNR) of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) progress in the country and of their 2023/24 to 2027/28 National Development Plan. 

He took the lead of the CCA technical team, Policy and Program Support Group (PPSG); facilitated the VNR process and ensured the technical and financial contribution of all UN country team; and consolidated, deepened and presented the UN team’s input to the National Development Plan. The updated CCA and the National Development Plan identified critical priorities requiring immediate action - from a fiscal crisis and low levels of private investment to high levels of youth unemployment, poverty, inequalities and worsening human development indicators.

In response to these challenges, the UN in Eswatini, under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator, is now collaborating with government officials to review and adjust the Joint Work Plans for the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2021-2025) to address and mitigate the adverse impacts of these problems. Mphucuko plays an important role in facilitating discussions of a working group, co-led by the Ministry of Economic Planning and Developments and UNDP, on Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Growth, a key priority in the current Cooperation Framework.