Core Activities:
Financing development projects and programs in developing countries around the world.
Activities in Lesotho:
National projects presently operational under EDF
Water sector: Detailed Design Lowlands Bulk Water Supply – 6.9 M€ / 78.7 MLSL. Technical design for bulk water supply to all major settlements in the eight bulk water supply zones from Butha-Buthe to Quthing. In addition, a National Water Sector Information Management System is developed.
Three Towns Water Supply & Sanitation Supply – 24.7 M€ / 281.6 MLSL. It enables the medium-term (2015) upgrading of water supply and sanitation in three towns: Maputsoe, Teya-Teyaneng and Roma.
Rehabilitation of the Maseru Wastewater System – 2.12 M€ / 24.2 MLSL. Immediate measures taken to rehabilitate the present sewerage system of Maseru by overcoming identified deficiencies, notably by replacing pipes, refurbishing 12 pump stations, rehabilitating the Ratjomose wastewater treatment plant and the industrial wastewater ponds, etc.
Technical Assistance to WASA – 1.15 M€ / 13.1 MLSL. It provides technical support and advice to the Chief Executive of the Water and Sewerage Authority specifically on, but not restricted to, the Operations and Maintenance of potable water and sanitation facilities located in Maseru and other urban centres for which WASA is responsible.
Road transport sector:
Road Transport Infrastructure Programme (RTIP) – 37.7 M€ / 429.8 MLSL. It is constituted of 27 projects that have all been implemented except for the following two activities which are still on-going: 1) the earth road between Ha Ramokoatsi and T’sita’snek (in the Mafeteng district) will be upgraded to all weather gravel standard; 2) the road safety department is supported through the building of Thetsane streetlighting.
Upgrading 110km of Primary Paved Network – 21.5 M€ / 245.1 MLSL. 110 km of paved primary road network (A1, A2, B23 and A11) will be strengthened and upgraded.
Road Transport Sector Policy and Institutional Support Programme – 7.85 M€ / 89.5 MLSL. This project is part of a wider programme (Road Transport Infrastructure Programme II RTIP II) co-funded by the World Bank to reinforce the transport sector policies and institutions.
Decentralisation and non-state actors: Local Governance and Non-State Actors Support Programme – 6.4 M€ / 73 MLSL. It will enhance the non-state actors and local government authorities role and capacity for greater involvement and effective participation in the development process, and to reinforce dialogue, interaction and cooperation between state actors, local governments and non- state actors at all levels of the decision making process in the context of decentralisation. Within this project, an envelope of 0.5 M€ / 5.7 MLSL is allocated to the Apparel Lesotho Alliance to Fight AIDS (ALAFA) to provide prevention and treatment services to the workers in the apparel industry.
Technical assistance: Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) – 7.5 M€ / 85.5 MLSL. Procurement of this system should improve the timeliness and accuracy of fiscal transactions and reporting, and will contribute to the governments Public Financial Management reforms.
Capacity Building for Economic Planning (CBEP) – 5.8 M€ / 66.1 MLSL. Assistance to reforms of the Governments budgeting and planning functions; macroeconomic analysis and modelling; and strengthening its capacity for production of reliable data. Capacity Building for Economic Planning II (CBEP II) – 4.9 M€ / 55.9 MLSL. This will build on the CBEP I activities to strengthen the governments macro-economic and financial management, as well as to improve the capacity of sectoral and socio-economic development planning.
Technical Cooperation Facility I (TCF I) – 2 M€ / 22.8 MLSL. Financing of technical assistance, training sessions and organisation of conferences, which are all aimed at improving the efficiency of the Governments operations.
Technical Cooperation Facility II (TCF II) – 0.6 M€ / 6.8 MLSL. Same principle as TCF I, but mainly focusing on the identification of 10th EDF projects.
Orphans and Vulnerable Children: Support to Lesotho HIV/AIDS Response: Empowerment of OVC – 12.0 M€ / 136.8 MLSL. Implemented by the Government and UNICEF, it aims to enable Orphans and Vulnerable children (OVC) to cope with their trauma as well as assist them to access services, acquire life skills, formal and vocational skills, and to enjoy food security.
Budget lines – Non-State Actors funding:
The EC also funds directly some NGOs from its own budget, through calls for proposals, which is a procedure to select projects according to specific objectives and themes.
Skillshare – 675,000 € / 7.7 MLSL: Reducing poverty by empowering people with disabilities and building the capacity of the disability sector in Lesotho. German Red Cross – 744,000 € / 8.5 MLSL: Integrated community based care for people living with HIV/AIDS or terminal illnesses and orphans in Bereaand Leribe districts.
CARE – 750,000 € / 8.6 MLSL: enabling /supporting women and OVCs to access and sustain social & economic resources for HIV prevention and mitigation .
European Investment Bank activities
The Government has successfully applied to the EIB for a loan to finance the Maseru Wastewater Project (MWWP), in addition to the EU Water Facility (EUWF). The project aims at medium-term upgrade and extension works to: increase sanitation coverage and to upgrade levels of relevant services in urban Maseru, with a special provision for poorer households; reduce the pollution of water sources; and contribute to the reduction of sanitation related diseases in urban Maseru. The project costs are estimated at 28.6 M€. The EIB has financed several preliminary studies, and will contribute to this project through a loan of 14.3 M€ / 163 MLSL, the EUWF will provide a 10 M€ / 114 MLSL grant, and the Government will contribute the remaining 4.3 M€ / 49 MLSL out of its own resources.
Regional projects presently operational under EDF
In addition to these national projects, Lesotho is also part to the regional projects
implemented within SADC through the 9th EDF RIP, which has been allocated 145 M€ / 1,653 MLSL (the initial amount of 161.6 M€ / 1,842.2 MLSL was reduced due to the little absorption capacity). The on-going regional projects are:
Regional integration and Trade:
Customs Modernisation Programme – 18 M€ / 205.2 MLSL
Standards, Quality Assurance, Accreditation and Metrology – 14.2 M€ / 161.9 MLSL
SADC Foot and Mouth Disease Project – 12.6 M€ / 143.6 MLSL
EPA Support Facility – 6.5 M€ / 74.1 MLSL
Support to Trade in Services – 1.1 M€ / 12.5 MLSL
Technical Cooperation Facility – 4.95 M€ / 56.4 MLSL
Implementation of the SADC Finance and Investment Protocol – 13 M€ / 148.2 MLSL
Capacity building on residue control – 7.5 M€ / 85.5 MLSL
Capacity building for regional integration – 12.5 M€ / 142.5 MLSL
Regional statistical training project – 3.85 M€ / 43.9 MLSL
EU-SADC Investment Promotion Programme – 14 M€ / 159.6 MLSL
Other sectors
Road upgrading project in Angola- 25 M€ / 285 MLSL
Implementation and Coordination of Agricultural Research and Training in SADC – 13.9 M€ / 158.5 MLSL
Land & Water Management Applied Research Programme – 4.1 M€ / 46.7 MLSL
Promotion of Regional Integration in the Livestock Sector – 7.9 M€ / 90.1 MLSL
HIV / AIDS – 3.14 M€ / 35.8 MLSL
Health and Development Innovative Consortium – 5 M€ / 57 MLSL
Future Plans:
Future national interventions under 10th EDF
The National Indicative Programme for the 10th EDF has been signed by the EC and the Government of Lesotho in December 2007.
Within the 10th EDF, Lesothohas been allocated 136 M€ / 1,550 MLSL for
programmable activities, as well as 2 M€ / 22.8 MLSL for unforeseen needs.
The following areas of intervention have been identified with the Government:
Focal sectors (main sectors of intervention)
General Budget Support – 53 M€ / 604.2 MLSL. According to the positive implementation of a road map of public finances reforms, direct financial support to the Governments budget should start in the financial year 2009-10.
Human Development – 27 M€ / 307.8 MLSL. Interventions will mainly focus on the health sector, may be through a sector wide approach or a sector budget support.
Infrastructure – 38.8 M€ / 442.3 MLSL. Interventions will mainly focus on assisting the governments sector wide approach and policy-making, especially in the water & sanitation sectors.
Other sectors
Decentralisation – 8 M€ / 91.2 MLSL. It will consolidate the on-going major reforms in decentralisation.
Technical Cooperation Facility – 2 M€ / 22.8 MLSL. It will pursue TCF I and II with similar activities, to facilitate the implementation of EDF 10 projects.
Rule of law – 4 M€ / 45.6 MLSL. It will contribute to improve the justice system, the
anti-corruption and money-laundering measures, as well as support to control bodies.
Non-State Actors – 2 M€ / 22.8 MLSL. It will support NSA according to the Cotonouprinciples.
Trade – 1.2 M€ / 13.7 MLSL. It will support the eventual adaptation measures that will follow the implementation of the EPA.
Future regional interventions under 10th EDF
The SADC region has been indicatively allocated an envelope of 135 M€ / 1,539 MLSL under the 10th EDF. The 10th EDF RIP has not been signed yet between SADC and the EC. The following areas of intervention have been identified with SADC countries:
Regional Economic Integration, Trade and EPA – 113 M€ / 1,288 MLSL. It will focus on assisting the SADC states to implement the EPA (50 M€ / 570 MLSL) and facilitate the full implementation of the SADC Trade Protocol and the Finance and Investment Protocol, as well as some key wider economic integration issues (63 M€ / 718 MLSL).
Functional Cooperation – 20 M€ / 228 MLSL. It will focus on accelerating the regional integration process through strengthening competencies at national and regional levels.
Technical Cooperation Facility – 2 M€ / 22.8 MLSL. It will facilitate actions necessary for the identification, preparation, monitoring, evaluation and audit of EDF interventions.
This organisation’s info was updated on: Feb 18, 2009. Please ignore date below.