Local entrepreneurs, importers and emerging manufacturers will gain practical insights into international trade at the upcoming XPORT China Sourcing and Global Trade Symposium.
The initiative aims to strengthen Lesotho’s participation in global markets.
Scheduled for May 2, 2026 at Lehakoe Recreation Center, the symposium returns for its second edition with a sharper focus on structural barriers limiting enterprise growth.
Through structured training and expert-led discussions, participants will learn how to source directly from global manufacturers, particularly in China, while exploring opportunities within international supply chains.
The platform targets key challenges such as high procurement costs, limited access to international suppliers and heavy reliance on intermediaries when importing goods, machinery and production inputs.
The event comes amid expanding economic cooperation between Lesotho and China, opening new avenues for trade, investment and partnerships.
As one of the world’s largest manufacturing hubs, China produces a wide range of industrial equipment, machinery and consumer goods essential for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing economies.
Despite this, many Basotho entrepreneurs still struggle to access these markets due to limited information, high import costs and dependence on intermediaries.
Event organiser Chaka Mapeshoane said the symposium seeks to bridge this gap by simplifying international sourcing processes.
“Many businesses in Lesotho have the ambition to expand but often face structural barriers when attempting to access international suppliers. This symposium is designed to provide practical tools for entrepreneurs to engage directly with manufacturers and compete more effectively in global markets,” he said.
The programme will cover international sourcing strategies, supplier verification, logistics planning and global trade trends affecting SMEs. Organisers say the insights will benefit sectors such as manufacturing, retail, agriculture, construction and small-scale production.
“The speakers will primarily be from the XPORT team. I would also like to add that based on feedback from our last event where attendees felt not enough time was allocated to us as the experts, we are adjusting the programme this time. At the previous event we invited LNDC and Standard Bank and gave significant time to partners. For this symposium, XPORT will lead most of the sessions,”
“We also plan to invite one or two Chinese suppliers from our catalogue that we’ve worked with directly. They will be part of our presentation via MS Teams to brief attendees on how we navigate the full process of sourcing and buying from China.
“Last year, attendees who purchased the M750 ticket had access to post-workshop consultations. Through that process, we helped them directly with their sourcing, purchasing from China, export processes, and related support,” Mapeshoane explained.
Mapeshoane said the long-term goal is to position the symposium as a leading national platform for global trade engagement.
Corporate sponsors are expected to play a key role, reflecting growing private sector support for SME development and economic diversification. Standard Lesotho Bank (SLB) and Newsday Media have already partnered with the event, with more sponsors invited to participate.
Entrepreneurs and business stakeholders are encouraged to attend, with general tickets priced at M250.00 and executive tickets at M750.00.
Summary
- This symposium is designed to provide practical tools for entrepreneurs to engage directly with manufacturers and compete more effectively in global markets,” he said.
- I would also like to add that based on feedback from our last event where attendees felt not enough time was allocated to us as the experts, we are adjusting the programme this time.
- Mapeshoane said the long-term goal is to position the symposium as a leading national platform for global trade engagement.
Seabata Mahao is a general news reporter with special focus on Business and Sports. Started working at Newsday in 2021. Working in a team with a shared goal is what I enjoy most and that gives me the motivation to work under any environment leading to growth.
