Minister of Commerce, Industry & Trade Manqoba Khumalo has received a Leadership Excellence Award from UK-based African Leadership Magazine (ALM). The award is in recognition of his “outstanding contribution to economic development in Africa as well as his leadership excellence”.

Minister Khumalo is among African leaders who have been honoured during the virtual ALM Persons of the Year Awards investiture ceremony themed: ‘Intentional Leadership: Rethinking Development Priorities in Africa’. In July 2020, Minister Khumalo was awarded the African Promotion Excellence Award by the same Magazine.

Speaking during the virtual ceremony, Khumalo expressed his gratitude for receiving the award.

“We are very happy to receive this award & we take it with all the humility it deserves. Eswatini is currently ranked number 9 in terms of value of exports & for a small country it is a big fit & it is premised on our strategy of being an export-driven economy,” said Khumalo.

Also named ALM Persons of the Year 2020 in different categories were Ghana President Nana Akufo Addo, ex-President of Sierra Leone Ernest Bai Koroma, ex-President of Nigeria Dr Goodluck Jonathan, Graca Machel & WHO Director General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus (who won African of the Year), amongst others