OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Tuesday 7.30pm.
THE World Bank and other interested parties are planning a damage assessment mission to the battered kingdom of Lesotho, a senior bank official said in Cape Town on Tuesday.
Nat Colleta, the manager of the bank’s post-conflict assessment unit, told a conference on the restructuring of conflict-torn societies that he has already met Lesotho’s finance minister about the plan.
According to Colleta, Lesotho’s feuding opposition and governing parties, and as many other interested parties as possible, will be asked to take part in the investigation into the losses suffered recently by one of the world’s poorest countries.
The announcement follows a promise by the United Nations to provide emergency relief to the country. Lesotho’s infrastructure was almost completely destroyed last month when rioting and looting took place as a result of resistance to the arrival of a southern African military intervention force on September 22. The force intervened to restore order after an army mutiny and forced stay-away by public servants.
South Africa, whose troops led the intervention, has made it clear that the country cannot expect Pretoria to foot the bill for damage caused by Basotho people on the rampage.
The South African government has also indicated that Lesotho will have to pay for the intervention mission, which cost an estimated $1,3 million in its first week alone.
The promised UN relief will centre on providing emergency food supplies and rehabilitating Lesotho’s health care system, which was nearly incapacitated by the fighting.
–Agence France Presse
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