Lesotho to open diplomatic mission in New Delhi soon

Lesotho is to establish a diplomatic mission in New Delhi India very soon, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mohlabi Tsekoa has announced.

Announcing this during a briefing session with the Heads of the Diplomatic Missions in Lesotho on February 5, Mr. Tsekoa said the country is faced with the challenge of consolidating relationships between it and the rest of the world, increasing the number of strategic alliances across the world.

"To this effect, I wish to announce that the Indian Government has responded positively to Lesotho's request to establish a mission in New Delhi, India." 

The Minister briefed the Diplomatic Corps on agreements reached during the ministerial meeting of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security towards development of the SADC region. The meeting deliberated on the current economic and political status of Zimbabwe, to help find a solution to that country's problems.

SADC member states had agreed on the importance of assisting Zimbabwe to be readmitted into the Commonwealth.  The Zimbabwean Minister of Foreign Affairs was requested to go back and consult with President Robert Mugabe to identify those of Zimbabwe's basic problems that the President would be
comfortable for SADC member states to assist in finding solutions to.

The meeting had also intended to discuss issues pertaining to peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo as well preparations for the coming general elections in that country but were unable to do this because the DRC was not represented at both the senior officials meeting and the ministerial one, Mr. Tsekoa said.

Mr. Tsekoa said the meeting also discussed the establishment of an African Standby Force, to assist in the different conflicts on the Continent, citing  the examples of Liberia and Democratic Republic of Congo which experienced lack of stability and conflicts for a long time.

Fighting corruption which is the basis for achievement of peace and stability in the region, as well as the establishment of the SADC peace keeping training centre were also addressed. Lesotho, in its capacity as chairperson, has already approached potential donors like Denmark and the European Union to assist in this endeavour, the Minister said.

On the local front, the Minister said the Lesotho government feels strongly about democracy because it
believes this is a prerequisite for any country's socio-economic development. To show its commitment to  democracy, preparations were already being made for local government elections to be held before the end of this year.

05 February 2004