Cognizant of its subordinate relationship to South Africa, Swaziland has fostered an investment climate agreeable to foreign businesses. More than half of all enterprises are foreign owned or joint ventures. Entities from South Africa, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States have sizable investments. Foreign investors pay a reduced 10% corporate tax and are exempted from withholding tax on dividends for the first 10 years.
In 1997, Swaziland experienced divestment of foreign direct investment (FDI) amounting to -$15.1 million, but in 1998 annual FDI inflow rose to $151 million. Inflow was $100 million in 1999, but there was a reverse flow of -$18.5 million in 2000. FDI inflow in 2001 was $68 million.