Maseru, Lesotho, 24 March 2022 – A cross-sectoral implementation approach to the urban dimension of Lesotho’s National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) should be at the forefront if the country is to reduce poverty and deliver prosperity for all.
This was an overarching message from a four-day workshop, hosted by the Government of Lesotho and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in the country’s capital Maseru from 21 to 24 March.
The workshop’s purpose was to seek input from a range of stakeholders on an ongoing ECA project to support the country in ensuring that all urban policies and priorities envisioned in Lesotho’s NSDP contribute to the country’s economic development and poverty reduction efforts.
As part of this project, ECA presented the findings of its assessment to the workshop participants, which analysed the capacity of Lesotho’s national and local governments in implementing the New Urban Agenda. A key finding was the urgent need to bridge the gap between policy and practice, as well as the need to modernise the existing strategies in response to emerging threats such as climate change and COVID-19.
Participants – including government officials, urban practitioners, civil society representatives and delegates from UN agencies – were further engaged in an action planning exercise that could enhance coordination across sectors and administrative levels of the country. The plan will support Lesotho in implementing the urban priorities outlined in its National Strategic Development Plan across sectors.
The workshop was opened by the Principal Secretary of Lesotho’s Ministry of Local Government and Chieftainship, Hon. Ntate Lefu Manyokole. In a statement after his opening remarks, he said that the workshop highlighted the importance of aligning national and local priorities, the urgency to translate commitment into action, and the need for evidence-based strategies to address implementation challenges.
Speaking at the workshop, Ms. Edlam Yemeru, acting Director of ECA’s Gender, Poverty and Social Policy division, stressed that “Cities are the engines of sustainable development. But without a conducive national prioritisation framework, local action on sustainable urban development remains constrained.
“An urban lens should take the utmost precedence in the formulation and implementation of national development planning. Urbanization cuts across all development targets and needs to be coordinated accordingly.”
She added: “Therefore, we hope this project will strengthen the capacity of the Government of Lesotho for a cross-sectoral implementation of the New Urban Agenda through its National Development Plan. The project’s outcome will inform the drafting of the country’s National Urban Policy and spatial Planning, ensuring cities in Lesotho grow more sustainably and generate greater economic prosperity.”
Hon. Sello Justice Tšukulu, the Permanent Secretary for Lesotho’s Ministry of Development Planning, spoke at the closing ceremony of the workshop, where he stated that the outcome of the workshop would be fully considered in the country’s National Strategic Development Plan.
Outcomes from the workshop will inform ECA’s continental work on supporting member States in leveraging urbanisation for prosperity in the context of national development planning.
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org