I am honoured to be co-chairing with you the 2025 Partnership Dialogue between the Kingdom of Lesotho and the European Union. On behalf of Ambassadors and heads of Delegations of fourteen EU Member States, as well as the staff of the EU Delegation here in Maseru, I thank you for your welcoming words, and for hosting us here today. 

I wish to express our appreciation to the Honourable Ministers, Principal Secretaries, other senior officials and members of their teams who participate to our dialogue this morning.

The large and growing participation on both sides is a clear testimony to the importance of this annual Dialogue. We are grateful for yesterday’s successful ceremony of signature of the new EU programme, presided by Right Hon. Prime Minister Ntate Samuel Matekane. 

For the third consecutive year, we are meeting in the course of Europe Month, and we can claim we have now established a new tradition! 

Honourable Minister, I would like to recall the nature of the EU's partnership with Lesotho, underpinned by the Samoa agreement signed in November 2023 by the EU and 79 members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States:   

• Our mutually beneficial relations are based on trust and respect, with a shared commitment to democracy, human rights, sustainable development, and multilateralism, within a rules-based international order;

• Secondly, the EU and its Member States  work hand in hand with Lesotho institutions and civil society organisations to the benefit of all people in Lesotho to leave no one behind  and to guarantee that the programmes receiving EU funding have an impact on the ground; 

• Thirdly, as the largest world’s single market, the EU is committed to preserve a rule-based and predictable trade system, taking into account the development goals and needs of our partners.  We intend to continue applying quota-free and duty-free access in favour of all imports of goods from Lesotho into the EU Market under the EU SADC Economic Partnership Agreement..  This access is asymmetric, which means that Lesotho does not open its market at the same level as the EU, thus helping its local industries to grow, and protecting sensitive sectors.

Beyond the annual high–level Partnership Dialogue, exchanges with different stakeholders across all Lesotho institutions, with political actors, with civil society and private sector take place on a continuous basis and at different level and we sincerely hope that such openness continue to characterize the relations with your country.  Coordination with development partners continue to expand and help in surmounting pernicious silos effects. The European Union is proud to maintain a positive and fruitful relationship with Lesotho since 1976.  The European Union and its 27 Member States are strategic partners of Lesotho ever since. As we approach the milestone of 50 years of partnership next year, we are committed to deepen and strengthen our exchanges. 

We welcome your participation next week in Brussels to the third European Union-African Union (EU-AU) Ministerial meeting, in the year when we celebrate 25 years of partnership with the African Union. Let me also send best wishes to your envoy in Brussels, H.E. Ms Mantoetsi Liteboho Mohatonyane, who will present her letters of accreditations to the Presidents of the European Council and the Commission next week. 

I am accompanied today by Ambassadors and representatives of fourteen EU Members States, namely we are honoured by the participation of Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands,  Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. I kindly invite Excellences to introduce themselves during our tour de table. 

For the first time, the European Investment Bank is also present today, with a representative that travelled from Luxembourg. 

On the EU side, this is the largest participation from EU MS based in Pretoria – the highest ever in Lesotho-EU Dialogues. 

Allow me then, to commend and praise the large participation both from Lesotho side and European side, as a testament to our profound commitment. 

Without further ado, I invite my colleagues to introduce themselves. My wish for today is an open, frank and constructive Dialogue. 

 Introduction of High Level representatives – tour de table 

EU Ambassador, in order of accreditation to Lesotho:

1. Germany, H.E. Ambassador Andreas Peschke 

2. Ireland, H.E. Ambassador Austin Gormley

3. Netherlands, H.E. Ambassador Joanne Doornewaard

4. Czech Republic, H.E. Ambassador Tomas Ulicny

5. Italy, H.E. Ambassador Alberto Vecchi

6. Finland, H.E. Ambassador Pekka Metso

7. Lithuania, H.E. Ambassador-designate Ms Rasa Jankauskaite

Heads of EU MS Delegations to the Dialogue:

8. Austria, Mr Alexander Eriksroed-Burger

9. Belgium, Ms Amandine Sonck

10. Denmark, Ms Signe Dam

11. France, Mr Alexandre Brochard

12. Portugal, Mr Antonio Sabido Costa

13. Spain, Mr Fernando de Castro Cardo

14. Sweden, Ms Karin Berlin.

and:

15. Czech Republic, Mr David Vaverka 

16. Denmark, Mr Mathias Christensen

17. France, Mr Thomas Mourez

18. Germany, Mr Axel Beyer

19. Germany, Mr Jesko Samson

20. Ireland, Mr Tom Brazil