STATEMENT BY THE RT HON PRIME MINISTER
AMBROSE MANDVULO DLAMINI
AT THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF AUTOMATED TRADING SYSTEM, UNVEILING OF NEW NAME AND LOGO OF ESWATINI STOCK EXCHANGE
AT THE ROYAL VILLAS, EZULWINI
FRIDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2019

 

Your Royal Highnesses
Honourable Ministers
Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA)
Governor of the Central Bank of Eswatini
Board and Executive Members of FSRA
Board and Executive Members of the Central Bank of Eswatini
Board and Executive Members of Listed Companies on the Eswatini Stock Exchange
Board and Executive Members of the Sell side and Buy side of the financial sector of the Kingdom of Eswatini
CEO’s of Listed Companies and Commercial Banks
Acting CEO of Escrow Systems
Distinguished members of the Eswatini Stock Exchange;
Senior Government Officials;
Invited guests
Ladies and Gentlemen.

It is my honour, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, to be part of this triple celebration, the official launch of the Automated Trading System (ATS) which comes with mobile trading, new name and LOGO.
It is also my pleasure, from the onset, to announce the new name of the local Stock Exchange to be Eswatini Stock Exchange (ESE). The change follows the declaration by His Majesty King Mswati III for the country to go back to its original name Eswatini.
The unveiling of the new name and logo is indeed a part of the evolution of the Eswatini Stock Exchange brand coinciding with one major milestone for the Exchange - that of successfully completing the automation of its trading platform. The re-design and re-imagining of the logo to one that “stands out” is a clear testimony that the brand of Eswatini Stock Exchange is well positioned in the market place to meet the requirements of investors looking for opportunities to derive higher investment returns.
May I take this opportunity to appreciate the expertise of Escrow Systems (Pvt) Ltd from the Republic of Zimbabwe who partnered with ESE to automate the Eswatini Stock Exchange Trading Platform. I recall our first breakfast meeting where this gigantic project was introduced to me while I was in my previous employment. I was excited because I knew that the automation will see the Exchange moving from a manual system to joining other modern markets.
Since the ATS solution will come with mobile trading, it was clear to me that it will allow retail investors and company secretaries to use native applications like Android and iOS applications to enquire about their portfolios in the comfort of their homes or offices through an online Investor page.
The evolution of the Automated Trading System is in line with Government’s commitment towards uplifting the ICT sector and bringing efficient, affordable and convenient services at the fingertips of all Emaswati. For both the sell and buy sides, the ATS will revolutionize Eswatini’s capital markets by reducing the cost of transactions, enhancing market liquidity and increasing transparency.
Today, ladies and gentlemen, we are experiencing a watershed moment in the history of capital markets in Eswatini. These developments stand to elevate the ESE to be in line with global trends thus enabling the Exchange to introduce a wide range of innovative products that speak to both local and international investors. Without doubt, capital markets, as observed in many a developed country, play a vital role in economic development.
While we are excited to launch these products this morning, we have an obligation to upscale public education campaigns to ensure that more Emaswati not only invest in capital markets but understand the investment opportunities that are available.
I am pleased to note that the Eswatini Stock Exchange has recruited 20 resource persons who will be traversing the country educating the public on how to save and invest in the capital markets, with the aim of reaching 100 000 individuals by the end of the financial year 2019/20.
As part of public education, His Majesty’s Government welcomes the efforts to stimulate the issuance of securities by sensitizing entrepreneurs on fund raising opportunities in the capital markets. We encourage the use of new and contemporary communication tools during the public education campaigns, including capitalizing on the widely popular social media platforms, especially in reaching out to the youth.
Many budding young investors may find it difficult to start investing in capital markets due to limited funds and knowledge about how investing in the stock market works. We have a duty to educate them and kindle their interest in investing on our capital markets. Mobile trading, for instance, will surely resonate well with this tech-savvy generation.
Government is in the process of launching a new strategic roadmap map that will provide clear guidlines on the strategies and processes to be followed in jolting our economy back to life. We are happy with the positive feedback and support we continue to receive from Emaswati as we embark on this challenging but critical journey of turning around our economy to enable Government to better provide the services that will uplift the living standards of our people.
To this end, we are determined to providing a fertile environment for the private sector to grow and flourish thus providing employment opportunities and utilizing the innovative acumen of Emaswati to create more value adding products and services to enhance economic growth.
We all know that Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are major catalysts in the development of economies, as they constitute a major part of industrial activity.
We are excited by the opportunity provided by the newly branded Eswatini Stock Exchange for our micro, small and medium business to be able to raise capital through listing on the SME Board of the ESE.
May I take this opportunity to thank you all for supporting the work of the Eswatini Stock Exchange. A special gratitude goes to the FSRA and the Central Bank of Eswatini for working together to support the Eswatini Stock Exchange in its endeavour to turn around the market. I look forward to more listings of both SMEs and Big corporations to make our Exchange more liquid.
My gratitude goes to Eswatini Mobile and FNB Eswatini who have already made public announcements of their imminent listing on the ESE, and implore other Multinational Corporations and Domestic companies to follow suit.
It now gives me pleasure, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, to officially launch the Automation Trading System and the renaming of the Exchange to Eswatini Stock Exchange under a new logo.

Thank you. May God bless us all.

 

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