The Federal Republic of Germany is represented in Mbabane by a liaison office of the German Embassy in Pretoria. Eswatini ‒ the former Kingdom of Swaziland officially changed its name to the Kingdom of Eswatini with effect from 19 April 2018 ‒ is represented in Germany by its Embassy in Brussels as well as by two Honorary Consuls General, one in Berlin and one in Düsseldorf. There is a regular exchange of views with the Government and civil society in Eswatini on issues relating to bilateral relations and the country’s development (including human rights). Scholarship programmes, micro-measures in development cooperation and joint projects in the fields of culture, sport and humanitarian assistance are important features of bilateral relations. Trade with Germany is modest and is mostly conducted through South Africa.

Bilateral development cooperation with Eswatini has been gradually phased out since 2000 as part of a general reduction in the number of partner countries. Between 1968 and 2000, German assistance to the former Swaziland totalled 112.5 million euros. As the largest contributor to the European Union’s budget and the European Development Fund (EDF), Germany remains indirectly one of Eswatini’s major donors. Eswatini additionally benefits from the cooperation between the GIZ and the SADC on the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area.

King Mswati III last came to Germany on an official visit in April 2000 and visited in a private capacity in 2007. A Government delegation from Eswatini headed by Prime Minister Themba Dlamini travelled to Germany for political talks in November 2006. The Federal Chancellor’s Personal Representative for Africa, Günter Nooke, visited Eswatini in 2010.