… While Lesotho quietly pushed for AGOA reforms.
The United States celebrated two centuries and a half of American independence alongside six decades of bilateral relations on Thursday, with the US Embassy in Maseru hosting a joint anniversary that placed health cooperation and energy investment firmly in the spotlight.
The event brought together US Chargé d’Affaires Thomas Hines and Lesotho’s acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Law Minister Richard Ramoeletsi. The US Embassy was established on the same day Lesotho gained its independence in 1966.
“The United States has continuously prioritised the sovereignty of Lesotho rather than impose agreements that lead to dependency,” Hines said.
Over the decades, he said, more than 2,700 American Peace Corps volunteers have worked in Lesotho, around 700 Basotho have travelled to the US for education, and the American Corner platform reached over 10,000 young Basotho last year alone with skills in science, technology and business.
But the centrepiece of Hines’s address was HIV/AIDS. Through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), he said life expectancy in Lesotho has increased by 15 years, and the country has met its international HIV treatment targets. The US recently signed a $364 million health agreement with Lesotho and has delivered thousands of doses of lenacapavir, a new drug that effectively stops new HIV infections.
On the economic front, Hines said US and Lesotho partners signed commercial deals worth M590 million this year, with another 100 billion maloti worth of projects in progress. He emphasised these are private investments, not loans.
He cited the US company OnePower’s Neol solar plant, which aims to help Lesotho become a clean energy hub exporting power to neighbouring countries, and the launch of Starlink, which seeks to bring high-speed internet to every corner of the country.
Ramoeletsi praised programmes such as the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) for expanding access to clean water and sanitation. He also highlighted the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which allows Lesotho to export textiles to the US and has created thousands of local jobs, calling for the programme to be modernised and extended beyond its 2026 expiry date.
While supporting the US vision of prioritising “trade over aid”, Ramoeletsi noted that financial assistance remains critical for small economies. “Increased bilateral trade, coupled with targeted support in infrastructure, health, and education, will transform our economy and uplift our people,” he said.
Hines closed the evening with a personal note, having participated in the Moshoeshoe Walk for the past two years. “In that same spirit, the United States and Lesotho walk together toward brighter horizons,” he said.
Ramoeletsi invited guests to raise a glass to the American people and to the good health of US President Donald Trump.
Summary
- The United States celebrated two centuries and a half of American independence alongside six decades of bilateral relations on Thursday, with the US Embassy in Maseru hosting a joint anniversary that placed health cooperation and energy investment firmly in the spotlight.
- He cited the US company OnePower’s Neol solar plant, which aims to help Lesotho become a clean energy hub exporting power to neighbouring countries, and the launch of Starlink, which seeks to bring high-speed internet to every corner of the country.
- He also highlighted the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which allows Lesotho to export textiles to the US and has created thousands of local jobs, calling for the programme to be modernised and extended beyond its 2026 expiry date.
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.
