The Prime Minister Dr Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini has announced that Swaziland has joined the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank as a member.

He made the announcement on Monday when he met the President of the Bank, Mr Admassu Tadesse in Antananarivo, Madagascar at the sidelines of the COMESA Heads of State and Government summit where he representing His Majest the King.

The Prime Minister said the country is now in the process of ratifying all the protocols through Parliament that will confirm the country as a full member. He mentioned that a number of feasibility studies have been completed for the funding of national infrastructural projects like dams, oil storage and roads. He noted that the current drought has increased the necessity for the construction of more dams in the Kingdom.

The president of the Bank Mr Tadesse explained that they have identified a lot of opportunities to support of the Kingdom's development agenda. He stated that the bank provides about $2 billion in loans annually for the East and Southern Africa region. The Bank provides export, import, agricultural and infrastructure finance. Tadesse announced that they will send their first mission to Swaziland before December and start operating next year.