Natural Resources Minister highlights Lesotho’s role as the region’s water tower

Lesotho’s Minister of Natural Resources, Mohlomi Moleko, has called for greater recognition of Lesotho’s natural beauty and growing regional contribution. He was speaking today at the 11th SADC Multi-Stakeholder Water Dialogue in Maseru.

Minister Moleko described Lesotho as a peaceful and scenic country, known for its clean environment, friendly citizens, and more than 300 days of sunshine along with winter snow, making it a unique tourist attraction.

He emphasized Lesotho’s strategic importance as the “water tower” of Southern Africa, noting that while the country makes up only 3.4 percent of the Orange-Senqu Basin, it provides more than 40 percent of its water.

The Minister highlighted two major infrastructure projects: the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, which already supplies water to South Africa and includes plans for hydropower and eco-tourism, and the Lesotho-Botswana Water Transfer Scheme, which will deliver water through a 700-kilometre system to Botswana.