King Letsie III says Lesotho and Sweden are both kingdoms and old friends, a friendship which started long before Lesotho gained independence. Receiving letters of credence presented by the Ambassador of Sweden to Lesotho, Dr Helena Nilsson at the Royal Palace on Thursday 31 October,2002  the King said the strong friendship is being renewed with joy and pride by designation of the new Ambassador so that it can continue to bear fruitful results for the good of the peoples of both countries.

The King said Sweden was one of the first countries to realise that for Lesotho to withstand the harsh effects of sanctions, which were imposed on the apartheid regime of South Africa, Lesotho's internal economy must first be strengthened. At regional level, we are also grateful to Sweden for supporting the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and thereby making it a viable organisation which all of us are proud of," he added.

The King  said Lesotho highly values the importance attached by Sweden to regional cooperation within the existing framework of the SADC and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), a process which Lesotho strongly supports because she believes that in this era of globalisation and technological advancements, the success and survival of individual countries lies in regional cooperation and economic integration. Presenting her letters, Dr Nilsson congratulated Lesotho on her successful
election  that led to free and fair general election.

She said the election represented a historic step towards a more inclusive representative system, which bodes well for the country's economic and social development. "Through the peaceful and transparent election process, you have also
contributed to the consolidation of democracy in the Southern African
region" she commended. She however showed that the region is still faced with many challenges, saying her country has a mutual interest in discussing and sharing experiences on a number of issues, crucial for a peaceful and prosperous development in this region.

Dr Nilsson said the consolidation of democratic development and the promotion of human rights, poverty alleviation, the alarming HIV\AIDS situation, job creation and an environmentally sustainable development are just some of the challenges. The newly appointed Ambassador said another issue that needs to be urgently addressed is food security and the current food shortage by which Lesotho has unfortunately been affected. "In this regard, Sweden has contributed with a substantial amount to relevant United Nations humanitarian relief organs.

She said her government is also interested in listening to Lesotho's views on the development of regional organisation such as SADC and the African Union, particularly in the field of peace building, conflict prevention and conflict management.

31 October,2002