Global Gateway in Africa
Global Gateway in Lesotho
The Global Gateway in Lesotho is a component of the broader Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package. This package is designed to support Africa's journey towards a strong, inclusive, green, and digital recovery and transformation. In Lesotho, this translates into focused efforts on several key priorities. These include accelerating the country's green transition, promoting sustainable practices and environmental protection. The initiative also aims to accelerate the digital transition, ensuring that Lesotho can fully participate in the digital economy and benefit from technological advancements. Furthermore, the Global Gateway in Lesotho seeks to accelerate sustainable growth and decent job creation, fostering economic opportunities and improving livelihoods. Strengthening health systems is another crucial element, enhancing access to quality healthcare and building resilience. Finally, the initiative prioritises improvements in education and training, equipping Lesotho's citizens with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive.
The Global Gateway represents a cornerstone of European foreign policy, a strategic initiative to forge robust partnerships and investments across the globe. At its core is a vision of a world interconnected by smart, sustainable, and secure digital, energy, transport, and health infrastructure. Through a collaborative Team Europe approach, it unites the EU, its Member States, and European financial and development institutions to support initiatives that will have a transformative impact across the globe, including in Lesotho.
A collaborative effort between the Lesotho government and Team Europe, along with local and international partners, is bringing to life the Global Gateway in Lesotho through programmes such as Metsi A Lesotho, Renewable Lesotho and the Youth Power Hub. Global Gateway initiatives in Lesotho are poised to transform the country's energy and water sectors. By reimagining how Lesotho harnesses its natural resources, these projects aim to generate renewable energy, provide access to potable water for its citizens, and steward its precious resources responsibly. Additionally, they seek to empower Lesotho's youth.
These initiatives are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Government of Lesotho's National Strategic Development Plan.
Metsi a Lesotho (Water of Lesotho)
The European Union remains a key player in Lesotho's water sector, contributing an investment of EUR 27 million (LSL 540 million) through Metsi A Lesotho (Water of Lesotho) to improve access to clean and safe water, with the potential for additional contributions from other partners.
Launched in May 2024, Metsi A Lesotho aims to expand access to safe, sustainable, and affordable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities to rural communities in Lesotho while conserving water and land resources for both present and future generations. Through substantial capacity-building efforts, the initiative also aims to improve services and foster cooperation at community, catchment, and transboundary levels.
Metsi a Lesotho is a collaboration between the the Government of Lesotho and its relevant ministries, the European Union Delegaiton in Lesotho, European Investment Bank, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and GIZ, as well as UNICEF.
Lesotho’s potential for solar, hydropower, and wind energy is immense. Renewable Lesotho aims to tap into that potential in order to secure the nation’s energy supply and to make clean, affordable electricity accessible to all. The goal is not merely to generate electricity, but to create a reliable, affordable energy grid that can spur economic growth and improve the lives of its citizens, while improving energy sector leadership and capacity. The EU's contribution to the programmes is €15 million (LSL 300 million), co-funded by the German government with an additional €860,000.
Launched in 2023, Renewable Lesotho represents a joint effort between the Government of Lesotho and its relevant ministries, the European Union Delegation to Lesotho, the European Investment Bank (EIB), European multi-donor platforms GET.transform and GET.invest, the Association of Bilateral European Development Finance Institutions (EDFI), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
