Remarks by the EU Ambassador H.E. Paola Amadei at the Lesotho-EU Cooperation Programme – Signing Ceremony 2025

Remarks by the EU Ambassador H.E. Paola Amadei at the Lesotho-EU Cooperation Programme - Signing Ceremony 2025

Khotsong Bo-'Mé le Bo-Ntate,

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you this afternoon to celebrate our partnership.

These two days ahead of us embody the multifaceted, long-standing relation between the Kingdom of Lesotho and the European Union. For almost 50 years now, we have been partnering for democracy and sustainable development, the European Union engaged firmly by Lesotho's side in the endeavour to end poverty. We strive to pursue the Sustainable Development Goals not only with our financial support programmes, but also by facilitating and entertaining political and trade partnerships, between Lesotho, the EU and its Member States, most of whom are today physically presents.

Today, we celebrate the signature of three agreements, spanning from renewable energy to civic education and electoral support, for a total of EUR 16 million (around LSL 337 million). This way, the European Union continues to demonstrate concretely its commitment to build a greener economy and a more peaceful and just society, in order to uplift communities out of poverty. The Honourable Minister of Finance has introduced/will introduce the initiatives in great details so in my remarks I will not focus on the new programmes.

Our cooperation goes beyond announcements and publicity. Since we gathered last May to launch Metsi a Lesotho, works to rehabilitate and develop water, sanitation and hygiene facilities are ongoing in 51 locations across the districts of Mohale's Hoek, Thaba-Tseka, and Maseru. In four years' time, the project is expected to reach 250 communities across the 10 districts to expand access to safe, sustainable, and affordable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, while conserving water and land resources for both present and future generations. Out of the 125 schools whose WASH facilities are to be rehabilitated, 10 are already under construction. On 28 May, we will be at St. Sebastian High School in Mohale's Hoek, to inaugurate the works at the school and the community under Metsi a Lesotho.

Metsi a Lesotho, an investment of EUR 27 million (LSL 569 million), is a collaboration between the Government of Lesotho and its relevant ministries, the European Union, UNICEF, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and GIZ.

Our very concrete contribution to water access for the people of Lesotho can also be exemplified by the recent launch of the construction of the Ts'ehlanyane Adit, which will deliver water into the Hlotse River in times of drought to ensure water security to the towns of Hlotse, Maputsoe as well as villages that the Ts'ehlanyane and Hlotse rivers pass through. This will ensure that the citizens of the water tower of Southern Africa do not experience any more water scarcity. This initiative is part of the Lowland Lesotho Lowlands Development Project Phase II and this specific component is funded by the European Investment bank whose representative has joined us today.

Lesotho's potential for solar, hydropower, and wind energy is immense. Renewable Lesotho aims to tap into that potential in order to secure the nation's energy supply and to make clean, affordable electricity accessible to all. The goal is not merely to generate electricity, but to create a reliable, affordable energy grid that can spur economic growth and improve the lives of its citizens, while improving energy sector leadership and capacity. The EU's contribution to the programmes was until now EUR 15 million (LSL 316 million), co-funded by the German government with an additional EUR 860,000. I am very proud to celebrate today the addition of EUR 10 million to this endeavour, to support energy sector infrastructure development.

Launched in 2023, Renewable Lesotho represents a joint effort between the Government of Lesotho and its relevant ministries, the European Union, the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Republic of Ireland, European multi-donor platforms GET.transform and GET.invest, the Association of Bilateral European Development Finance Institutions (EDFI), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the GIZ, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

All in all, our Lesotho-EU cooperation strategy allowed us to commit to Lesotho EUR 83 million since 2021 to now, while for the next 3 years, we plan an additional EUR 36 Million, to realise a green and resilient economy, supporting governance and a conducive business environment.

Our bilateral financial envelopes are only one of the tools at our disposal for the implementation of the Global Gateway, a strategic initiative to forge robust partnerships and investments across the globe. At its core is a vision of a world interconnected by smart, sustainable, and secure digital, energy, transport, and health infrastructure. Through a collaborative Team Europe approach, it unites the EU, its Member States, and European financial and development institutions to support initiatives that will have a transformative and inclusive impact across the globe, including in Lesotho.

I just mentioned inclusivity. Be it as part of dedicated programmes or via calls for proposal, we are proud to continue providing opportunities to youth, media and civil society, for them to express their vital role of linking government policies to communities, and of feeding communities' needs and demands into policy making.

In continuity with past initiatives in support to civic education and participation, such as the PISA programme, I am delighted to sign today the agreement for Inclusive Lesotho, aiming at supporting not only the electoral cycle from an institutional point of view, but also by supporting citizens' participation in the democratic life of the country. An EU Electoral Observation Mission took place for the first time in Lesotho in 2022, identifying key recommendations to improve the way elections are organised, managed and conducted in Lesotho. Allow me to congratulate the authorities involved, such as the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), for having already acted on some of them. The new EU cooperation programme, Inclusive Lesotho, intends to support the Ministry of Home Affairs, the IEC, the Ministry of Education, civil society and other relevant partners in the implementation of three outstanding key EOM recommendations:

1. Foster active participation in democratic processes, via continuous civic education and by promoting CSO monitoring and reporting,

2. Support the IEC in the management and update of an inclusive and accurate voter register,

3. Improve transparency of party financing, by supporting the IEC in its oversight tasks and by regulating party and electoral campaign financing.

I am pleased to inform you that an EU Electoral Follow-up Mission will be deployed in Lesotho in November, to take stock of accomplishments realised so far in terms of recommendations implementation and electoral reforms, and discuss with concerned actors how to best ensure their relevance and promotion.

Bo-'Mme le Bo-Ntate,

The third financing agreement to be signed today refers to the Cooperation Facility, an action that provides targeted support to key Ministries, and in the implementation of programmes. For instance, the Cooperation Facility was instrumental in facilitating the elaboration of the PEFA Self-assessment by the Ministry of Finance, in reviving the Water Sector Coordination Forum (WSCF) after disruption during Covid times, and it provides useful support to the Government of Lesotho in the accession process to the UN Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Water courses and International Lakes.

The presence today of representatives of fourteen EU Member States is a sign of the strong partnership between Lesotho and Team Europe. The partnership will be once more be rekindled in the annual Partnership dialogue tomorrow and at a continental level next week when Hon Minister Lejone will represent Lesotho at the EU-AU Ministerial meeting in Brussels.

To the Ministries and authorities, civil society, implementing partners present today, let us live and act by the motto "kopano ke matla", "Unity is strength": we look forward to continuing working together for a prosperous, green and inclusive Lesotho.

Honourable Prime Minister, Honourable Ministers, allow me to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the government of Lesotho for a continued fruitful partnership. May our joint efforts continue to bring improvements to the lives of the people of Lesotho.

Thank you. Khotso. Pula. Nala