Brussels, 09/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - On his way to the EU-Africa summit of 15 September, European Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs will be in Lesotho on Monday 12 September for a two-day visit (12-13 September). At a time when this southern African country is preparing for its general elections and facing the consequences of a serious budgetary crisis, the commissioner will call for free and fair elections and confirm the EU's commitment to help the Kingdom of Lesotho attain its Millennium Development Goals, attenuate the social consequences of HIV/AIDS, and overcome the budgetary crisis. He will also announce disbursements of €15 million to allow the country to improve access to clean water and sanitation and to further its development agenda. Piebalgs will meet Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili, Foreign Minister Mohlabi Kenneth Tsekoa, Finance Minister Timothy Thahane and Natural Resources Minister Monyane Moleleki, as well as representatives of government bodies, political parties, the civil society and the private sector.
“Lesotho currently finds itself at a critical juncture with two upcoming elections in the next six months. Free and fair elections are the best guarantee for the Basotho people that the country's development will be sustainable and inclusive. I will call for deeper relations between the EU and Lesotho, upgraded at a political level through regular and open political dialogue on cooperation, governance, trade relations and other topics of common interest”, the commissioner said on Friday.
During Piebalgs' visit, he will go to the site of development projects financed by the EU. Accompanied by the director general for the European Investment Bank (EIB), Tamsyn Barton, he will visit a pilot project, the Maseru waste water project plant. He will also visit the Apparel Lesotho Alliance to fight AIDS (ALAFA), a project that supports the fight against HIV/AIDS among textile workers.
Over the period 2007-2013, Lesotho, which is a member of the ACP group of countries (African, Caribbean and Pacific), will have received aid worth €139.3 million financed by the European Development Fund (10th EDF). (A.N./transl.jl)