RELATIONS WITH THE EU
The European Union and Lesotho
The European Union (EU) and Lesotho have had a fruitful bilateral relationship for several decades, which has gradually expanded from development cooperation to a multi-faceted partnership encompassing political dialogue, trade and investment, socio-economic cooperation, support to national reforms and governance, and academic and cultural exchanges.
Relations between the EU and Lesotho were previously conducted within the framework of the Cotonou Agreement - a global agreement signed in 2000 between the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP countries) and the EU. Negotiations for a successor agreement between the EU and members of what is now known as the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) were concluded in April 2021, setting the political, economic and sectoral cooperation framework for the next twenty years.
POLITICAL RELATIONS
The EU's political relations with Lesotho
The Delegation of the European Union to the Kingdom of Lesotho is part of an extended network of Union representations abroad placed under the responsibility of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell Fontelles. He is also Vice President of the European Commission, having occupied this position since December 2019.
The duty of Delegations is to assist him in carrying out his mission of representing the Union, conducting its external policy and promoting the interests and values of the European Union abroad.
The Delegation also represents the EU’s 27 Member States in the Kingdom.
Over the years, the relations between Lesotho and the EU have evolved into a multi-facetted partnership encompassing political relations, trade and investment, academic and cultural exchanges as well as a large cooperation programme contributing to create the conditions for sustainable growth for all Basotho.
Since March 1976, the Delegation oversees the relations between Lesotho and the EU in all these aspects and entertain contacts with a large variety of counterparts in the country pertaining to all sectors of society: Government, private sector, organised civil society, media, academia as well as the diplomatic missions and international organisations ’representations based in the country.
The European Union supports Lesotho's government and society in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, notably creating the conditions for fair and sustainable access to energy, water and sanitation, contributing to social protection programmes, mitigating the impact of natural disasters and of the Covid-19 pandemic, and promoting rule of law, democracy and human rights. In this context, the EU has also been supporting the ongoing National Reforms process to create better conditions for a peaceful, more just and prosperous Lesotho.
At the Sixth Summit of the EU and of the African Union (AU) in February 2022, of which Lesotho is an active member, the two regions have agreed on a renewed Partnership for solidarity, security, peace, sustainable economic development and prosperity for their citizens.
Lesotho and the EU share a strong commitment for a rules-based international order, in the full respect of the UN Charter and international law. They consult regularly on positions in multilateral fora and cooperate in the development and implementation of multilateral instruments, notably in the framework of the Paris Agreement on climate change and in the negotiations of a new WHO international agreement on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
Lesotho and EU have active exchanges at all levels, at not only an institutional level but also extending to citizens and their organisations. Once a year, a formal session of dialogue takes place, involving on the EU side also representatives from the EU Member States diplomatic representations accredited to Lesotho. The objective these sessions is to take stock of the relations, exchange views on regional and international developments, and facilitate the establishment of shared objectives. The last session of political dialogue took place on 24 March 2022.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Development assistance the EU provides to Lesotho as well as the sectors supported by the EU in Lesotho, funding and partners
The European Union’s cooperation strategy for Lesotho, the Multi-Annual Indicative Programme 2021-2027, was adopted in December 2021, following extensive consultations with our partners in the Mountain Kingdom. Support under the new cooperation strategy focusses on two priority areas: (1) Transforming Lesotho into a green and resilient economy, and (2) Promoting good governance and building a peaceful and just society.
Under the first priority area, EU cooperation aims to facilitate Lesotho’s move towards a circular economy that becomes increasingly sustainable and self-sufficient with regard to energy generation and consumption. It also aims to provide affordable access to energy, water and sanitation for all.
These efforts contribute to the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package, the European strategy to boost smart, clean and secure links in digital, energy and transport sectors and to strengthen health, education and research systems across the world. They also contribute to the Team Europe Initiative Green Deal for Lesotho, implemented in partnership with the European Investment Bank.
EU cooperation under the second priority area supports the process of national reforms undertaken by the Kingdom, ranging from broad Constitutional reforms, to reforms in the security, justice, media, and other key sectors. The strategy focuses also on the objective to improve service delivery to the citizenry, particularly social protection, and enhance statistical capacity.
Our cooperation includes an important support to civil society organisations which complements existing projects aimed at enhancing respect for human rights and strengthening the capacity of civil society, carried out under the thematic funding instrument of the EU called the European Instrument for Human Rights and Democracy (EIDHR) and its successor the thematic programme for Human Rights and Democracy.
There is an indicative financial contribution for bilateral cooperation of €83 million for the period 2021-2024, funded through Global Europe: Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – the EU programme for external action for 2021-2027. Indicative funding for the second part of the strategy will be determined following a mid-term evaluation.
The support provided under Global Europe is in addition to existing cooperation programmes engaged between 2014 and 2020 under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), with an envelope totalling €124 million. EDF support focussed on prime sectors areas such as water, energy, governance and social protection, which will continue to be implemented beyond 2021.
EU cooperation with Lesotho is not limited to bilateral instruments. Lesotho takes part in a number of regional and global programmes promoting, for example, trade and regional economic integration, cultural cooperation or higher education programmes such as Erasmus+.
TRADE AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS
EU support for economic growth, job creation, and sustainable development in Lesotho
The EU is supporting Lesotho in its efforts to integrate into the world’s trading system so that it can benefit from the global economy. The EU is convinced that international trade is part of the path to sustained economic growth and development and that Lesotho has an opportunity to make trade a high priority in her development strategies. The EU also believes that Lesotho can also work on improving the challenges in her economy by increasing business activity and thus, creating jobs.
The EU signed an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) on 10 June 2016 with some of the countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), namely, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. Lesotho is also a party to the agreement. Collectively these countries are known as the SADC EPA group.
The SADC EPA is a development-oriented trade agreement that gives asymmetric access to the partners in the SADC EPA group, allowing participating SADC countries to shield sensitive products from full liberalisation and safeguards can be deployed when imports are growing too quickly. A detailed development chapter identifies trade-related areas that can benefit from funding. The agreement also contains a chapter on sustainable development which covers social and environmental matters. The EPAs between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and regions aim at promoting ACP-EU trade - and ultimately contribute, through trade and investment, to sustainable development and poverty reduction.
As the SADC EPA Group's largest trading partner, the EU is working closely together with the Lesotho Government to implement the EPA and boost economic growth and create jobs with an envelope of EUR 6 million. The overall objective is to promote sustainable trade and investments for the private sector, mainstream gender into all sectors of the economy and build a desirable future for the youth of Lesotho. The EU aims to achieve these objectives by continuing to support inclusive and sustainable job creation; contributing to scaling-up private and public investments to support a more diversified, clean and competitive low-carbon economy; supporting value chain development; promoting regional trade and economic integration; enhancing trade and investment relations with Europe and holistically seizing the opportunities under the EPA.
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HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
The European Union and its Member States are the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid.
For 30 years, through the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the EU has provided humanitarian aid to people in over 110 countries across the world, in Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America, helping millions of victims of disasters each year.
In Lesotho, the EU provides emergency relief response such as food/nutrition assistance, education in emergencies and, disaster preparedness.
From 2016 to 2022, ECHO’s humanitarian funding in Lesotho was a total of €15.7 million.
Persistent droughts and annual weather shocks have undermined food security and the livelihoods of several people across the Southern African region. Over 23 million people in the region are food insecure. Vulnerable populations in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia are some of the hardest hit. The spread of COVID-19 in Lesotho exacerbated the situation, leaving several thousand people in the country on the breadline.
The EU has allocated €27 million in support of humanitarian actions in 2022. The EU, through ECHO, has also provided €100 million in humanitarian assistance to support the rollout of vaccination campaigns in countries in Africa.
EU RESPONSE TO COVID IN LESOTHO & THE GLOBAL FUND
The EU’s support to mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in Lesotho
The EU and its Member States are collectively the world's biggest contributor to COVAX, the global initiative to provide equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines to all countries in the world. COVAX has delivered vaccines to countries around the world including Lesotho. Global cooperation and solidarity is crucial to effectively fight the COVID-19 pandemic, ensure early access to vaccines, diagnostics and treatments everywhere, and to start a sustainable global recovery. As the largest donor of COVID-19 vaccines, the EU is fully playing its part and has been leading the multilateral response, including in Lesotho.
The EU has also allocated an additional €5.5 million to help mitigate the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the most vulnerable households in Lesotho. The additional funding will be used to provide socially and economically vulnerable households with cash assistance.
Furthermore, through its contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the EU is also providing essential support to Lesotho's hospitals, health centres, and medical personnel.