Lesotho and South Africa have reaffirmed their solidarity with the Palestinian people and condemned the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, citing longstanding positions of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) on the issue of Palestine.
The two nations raised serious concerns about the use of prohibited weapons, forced displacements, and the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza, including restricted access to essential aid.
These concerns were articulated during the second session of the Bi-National Commission (BNC), held in Maseru from April 22 to 23, 2025. The meeting was co-chaired by Lesotho’s Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The BNC, which followed a Council of Ministers meeting earlier that week, issued a joint call for urgent international action to end the war in Gaza and the illegal occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The Commission emphasized the need for the establishment of a two-state solution based on internationally recognized borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state.
“The Commission directed the Ministry and Department responsible for Foreign Affairs and International Relations/Cooperation to remain seized with the Question of Palestine and to continue to render support to the people of Palestine in their quest for self-determination,” the minutes stated.
A joint communique released after the session reiterated the leaders’ solidarity with the people of both Palestine and Western Sahara, reaffirming their nations’ support for the right to self-determination in both regions.
Regarding Western Sahara, Lesotho and South Africa once again underscored their support for the total liberation and self-determination of the Sahrawi people.
This reaffirmation follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SADC and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in April 2025, aimed at supporting the Sahrawi government’s pursuit of full sovereignty.
“The Commission directed the Ministry and Department responsible for Foreign Affairs and International Relations/Cooperation to remain seized with the Question of Western Sahara and to continue to render support to the Sahrawi people in their quest for self-determination,” the minutes further noted.
The Commission also expressed deep concern over the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and welcomed both regional and international efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability in the region.
In particular, the Commission acknowledged the work of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC), and the joint EAC-SADC Summit. It further commended the mediation efforts led by the Republic of Angola through the Luanda Process, as well as the contributions of former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta through the Nairobi Process.
The Commission welcomed the strengthening of these mediation processes and the appointment of additional facilitators to support ongoing peace efforts. It also praised the bravery of the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), which has been deployed in the eastern DRC to assist the Congolese government in protecting its territory and civilians.
“Lesotho extended its condolences to the troop-contributing countries, including South Africa, for the casualties suffered in the theatre of war,” read the minutes of the meeting.
The Commission also took note of the decision by the SADC Extraordinary Summit to withdraw SAMIDRC from the eastern DRC and called on all parties to the conflict to intensify efforts toward achieving a peaceful resolution.
“The two leaders exchanged views on recent developments in the region, across the continent, and globally. In this regard, they expressed concern over the security situation in eastern DRC and reiterated their call for an end to the conflict,” read the joint communiqué.
“Accordingly, they commended regional and international initiatives aimed at finding a lasting solution to the security challenges in the eastern DRC. The two leaders further underscored the importance of peaceful resolutions to conflicts across the continent, including those in Sudan and South Sudan.”
Turning to regional economic cooperation, the Commission reflected on progress within the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). It recalled the SACU Summit held in Eswatini in June 2023, which mandated member states to undertake national consultations on the “SACU Re-imagined” framework.
The Council of Ministers convened on December 6, 2024, to review a progress report and recommended that the re-imagined SACU discussions be fast-tracked ahead of the Council’s ministerial retreat.
“In recognition of the current challenges facing global trade, the two countries acknowledged the need to prioritise the Re-imagined SACU to place the bloc on a sustainable development trajectory,” the minutes stated.
“In this regard, both countries agreed to prioritise the development of regional value chains among themselves and with other SACU member states. They further committed to engage meaningfully in the Re-imagined SACU dialogue, with a focus on advancing industrialisation, infrastructure development, and identifying joint mechanisms for financing projects within the framework.”
Ntsoaki Motaung is an award-winning health journalist from Lesotho, specializing in community health stories with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as HIV. She has contributed to platforms like “Be in the KNOW,” highlighting issues such as the exclusion of people with disabilities from HIV prevention efforts in Lesotho.
In addition to her journalism, Ntsoaki serves as the Country Coordinator for the Regional Media Action Plan Support Network (REMAPSEN). She is also a 2023 CPHIA Journalism Fellow.
