The Wales Consul to Lesotho Dr. Carl Clowes has handed-over a cheque worth M105,000 to the Government of Lesotho to assist the nation in curbing the famine  that has hit the country this year. Speaking during the handing-over ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office on Friday 13 December,2002 Dr. Clowes said the money has been donated by individuals Welsh who heard about the famine and volunteered to land a hand to their friends.

He said the friendship between Wales and Lesotho started from 1985 and since then Wales through Lesotho-Wales link has assisted Basotho in different areas such as health, education as well as in churches. Dr. Clowes said the donation was meant to strengthen the existing relations that exist between the governments and the people of the two countries.

Receiving the cheque on behalf of Government, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Mohlabi Tsekoa thanked the people of Wales for responding to the famine problem that has hit the country by donating the money for their friends, saying they have shown that a friend in need is really a friend indeed. The Minister thanked the people of Wales for their generosity of remembering their Basotho friends particularly at times like this when the country is facing difficult times due to the famine.

Mr. Tsekoa said the money would be used by the Disaster Management Authority (DMA), a government department that deals directly with addressing famine in all parts of the country. Dr. Clowes assumed his duties as Wales Consul to Lesotho on January 2002. He resides in Pretoria and this was his first visit to Lesotho since his appointment as Consul. He is also a founder of Lesotho-Wales link established in 1985 when he then worked in Lesotho.

13 December,2002