Activities of Secretary-General in Lesotho, 12-14 December
On Thursday morning, 12 December, the Secretary-General travelled from South Africa to Lesotho.
In Maseru, the Secretary-General met with His Majesty King Letsie III at the Royal Palace.
Afterwards, the Secretary-General headed to the State House where he held a meeting with Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane and the Cabinet.
Following this meeting, the Secretary-General addressed a joint sitting of Parliament in Lesotho. The Secretary-General said that Africa’s vast renewable energy potential — from solar to wind to hydropower, and Lesotho is a fantastic example of that potential — remains largely untapped, while 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity. “A just transition means investing in renewable technologies, providing concessional finance for green investments and supporting the transfer of knowledge and technologies. And no other country would use better these instruments than Lesotho. You have demonstrated it in the past; I am sure you will do it in the future.”
And Lesotho has an important voice in advocating for these changes — a voice rooted in its proud history of resilience and justice, he added. (See Press Release SG/SM/22494.)
Afterwards, the Secretary-General went to the UN House, where he met with United Nations Staff.
Later that evening, the Secretary-General attended a State banquet hosted by His Majesty King Letsie III.
On Friday, 13 December, the Secretary-General travelled by helicopter to see the Katse Dam, which is part of the Highlands Water Project — a joint project between South Africa and Lesotho.
Following that, the Secretary-General was transferred by helicopter to Butha-Buthe district, where he attended the inauguration of a new road. This road links Lesotho directly to South Africa; it also connects 15 villages in Lesotho together. Part of this road was named after the Secretary-General.
On Friday afternoon, the Secretary-General left Lesotho for New York where he arrived on Saturday, 14 December.