SOUTH Africa and Lesotho signed a five year agreement worth about R2,3-billion in Maseru on Wednesday that aims to uplift the landlocked kingdom.
The agreement, under the auspices of the joint bilateral commission of co-operation programme between Lesotho and South Africa, was signed by Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and her Lesotho counterpart Tom Thabane.
This followed the agreement between Lesotho and South Africa concluded by Prime Minister Pakali Mosisili and President Thabo Mbeki in April last year.
A joint communiqué issued after the signing ceremony said the purpose of the agreement was to ”uplift Lesotho from its current status as a least developed country within a period of five years”.
The statement said the officials concerned had been directed to speedily implement the development programme in the areas of economic governance, security and stability, and social development.
The projects that were launched on Wednesday include the Maluti-Drakensberg trans-frontier conservation and development area (R155-million), GEO Chemical Mapping project (R1,1-million), a stone cutting project (R2,1-million), technical assistance in commercial livestock production (R2,07-billion) and the development of an industrial estate south of Maseru (R46-million).
The programme included a road construction project involving the upgrading of the road infrastructure linking Mokhotlong district in the north eastern highlands to Sani Pass and Underberg in KwaZulu-Natal. – Sapa