The Ezulwini Palazzo International Convention Centre officially opened on 25 April 2026, inaugurated by King Mswati III as part of celebrations marking his 40th year on the throne.
The opening drew a guest list of major dignitaries from across the region. In attendance was King Letsie III of Lesotho, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, former South African president Jacob Zuma, former Botswana president Ian Khama and former DRC president Joseph Kabila, alongside Taiwan’s foreign minister Lin Chia-Lung.
Ramaphosa was so impressed with the main chamber that it reminded him of the Durban ICC. “What will I do with the Durban ICC?” he asked, to the laughter of heads of state and all who were part of the tour.
The convention centre spans 42,000sqm and includes a 1,500-seat main chamber, a multipurpose hall for up to 3,000 guests and a 5,000sqm exhibition hall. It is designed to host conferences, trade shows, exhibitions and meetings, and will be managed by Palazzo Hospitality, a Dubai-based luxury hospitality management company best known for operating Palazzo Versace Dubai.
The structure was built by Inyatsi Group Holdings and is one of the country’s Millennium Projects. The project has its origins in the early 2000s and was subject to repeated delays and parliamentary funding disputes during construction. The ICC component was opened first, with the adjacent hotel still under construction.
Speaking to the Eswatini Observer, minister of natural resources and energy Prince Lonkhokhela said the opening had reaffirmed the importance of the investment. “The Ezulwini Palazzo is certainly desired by everyone. It is a structure that will lure investors into the country,” he said.
For Eswatini, a landlocked kingdom of approximately 1.2m people, the facility represents a significant entry into the MICE market, giving the country the infrastructure to bid for regional summits, trade expos and international conferences.
