Lesotho Country Partnership Framework 2023 - 2028

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00:05 Lesotho,

00:06 also known as the kingdom in the sky,

00:08 is a small mountainous country in Southern Africa

00:11 that is completely landlocked within its larger neighbor,

00:14 South Africa.

00:15 The effort to achieve the country's development goals

00:18 has however been stifled by governance challenges,

00:21 instability,

00:22 the impacts of climate change,

00:24 the COVID-19 pandemic,

00:25 and the gap in implementing development activities.

00:29 More than a third of the 2 million population

00:32 lives below the international poverty line of $2.15.

00:37 Despite some progress,

00:39 access to basic services remains a challenge.

00:42 For example,

00:43 access to electricity is only at 47%.

00:46 Primary school enrollment is high,

00:48 but the country experiences significant dropout at the secondary level.

00:57 The country's strengths and opportunities offer it the potential to

01:01 eliminate extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity within a generation.

01:06 These are access to South Africa and international markets,

01:09 abundant natural resources,

01:11 including water,

01:12 it's favorable demographic trend,

01:14 and support from development partners.

01:17 Together with the new government that was established in November 2022,

01:22 this is an opportune time for the World Bank Group to

01:24 address Lesotho's development challenges and

01:26 leverage its opportunities and strengths.

01:30 The new government is committed to improve service delivery,

01:33 increase public sector efficiency,

01:35 and transform the economy through developing the private sector for job creation.

01:41 The new Country Partnership framework

01:44 that we are launching with the World Bank Group today,

01:47 our very important development partner,

01:50 is in full alignment

01:52 with the new government's priorities.

01:55 These are articulated

01:57 in the National Strategic Development Plan

02:00 that now runs from 2023 to 2028.

02:06 The priorities in this plan

02:09 are

02:10 the creation

02:11 of

02:12 jobs

02:13 and of course,

02:15 growth.

02:17 Secondly,

02:18 social transformation,

02:20 infrastructure development

02:22 and

02:23 good governance and accountability.

02:25 There are key cross-cutting issues,

02:28 and these include

02:30 environmental preservation.

02:33 Taking care of our climate,

02:35 to cater for climate change,

02:37 youth development,

02:39 gender inclusivity,

02:41 digital technology and transformation,

02:44 as well as renewable energy.

02:47 The Country Partnership Framework,

02:49 or CPF

02:50 builds on past achievements and aims to help

02:53 Lesotho build a sustainable and resilient economy,

02:56 by promoting a private sector driven,

02:59 export-oriented economy for job creation,

03:02 supported

03:03 by an enabling,

03:04 efficient

03:05 and effective public sector.

03:07 The CPF aims to achieve 3 high-level long-term outcomes.

03:12 1,

03:13 increased employment in the private sector.

03:15 2,

03:16 improved human capital outcomes.

03:19 And 3,

03:20 improved climate resilience.

03:24 How will this CPF be different from the previous one?

03:29 This country partnership framework with a new and innovative way

03:33 to ensure impact at a scale on the ground.

03:38 One,

03:39 use of digital technology and promoting gender cut across all CPF objectives,

03:44 and results will be monitored.

03:47 2,

03:48 a territorial development approach,

03:50 harnessing private sector development opportunities in

03:53 urban areas and improving access and

03:55 quality of basic services in the poorest rural and mountainous areas.

04:01 3,

04:02 strengthen partnerships with the government and all stakeholders.

04:07 4,

04:07 improving governance and capacity building of the public sector.

04:13 This partnership with the Kingdom of Lesotho

04:16 gives rooms to work,

04:19 not only with the government,

04:21 but also with the people of Lesotho,

04:24 youth,

04:25 women,

04:26 private sector.

04:27 And development partners

04:29 to boost economic growth,

04:32 reduce poverty

04:33 and inequality.

04:35 The World Bank Group remains committed

04:38 to supporting

04:40 the kingdom's development.

04:42 Lesotho,

04:42 like many sub-Saharan African countries,

04:45 faces the societal issue of early marriages.

04:48 This can be a huge hindrance and barrier.

04:51 towards attaining SDG 5,

04:53 which is gender equality.

04:54 Lesotho's leaders have developed a clear plan

04:58 with uh indicators and targets and clear timelines

05:02 towards ending child marriages.

05:04 We welcome the efforts and the support of the World Bank

05:07 through the CPF

05:09 in helping Basotho

05:11 address this uh societal problem.

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transcript

Lesotho, also known as the kingdom in the sky, is a small mountainous country in Southern Africa that is completely landlocked within its larger neighbor, South Africa. The effort to achieve the country's development goals has however been stifled by governance challenges, instability, the impacts of climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the gap in implementing development activities. More than a third of the 2 million population lives below the international poverty line of $2.15. Despite some progress, access to basic services remains a challenge. For example, access to electricity is only at 47%. Primary school enrollment is high, but the country experiences significant dropout at the secondary level. The country's strengths and opportunities offer it the potential to eliminate extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity within a generation. These are access to South Africa and international markets, abundant natural resources, including water, it's favorable demographic trend, and support from development partners. Together with the new government that was established in November 2022, this is an opportune time for the World Bank Group to address Lesotho's development challenges and leverage its opportunities and strengths. The new government is committed to improve service delivery, increase public sector efficiency, and transform the economy through developing the private sector for job creation. The new Country Partnership framework that we are launching with the World Bank Group today, our very important development partner, is in full alignment with the new government's priorities. These are articulated in the National Strategic Development Plan that now runs from 2023 to 2028. The priorities in this plan are the creation of jobs and of course, growth. Secondly, social transformation, infrastructure development and good governance and accountability. There are key cross-cutting issues, and these include environmental preservation. Taking care of our climate, to cater for climate change, youth development, gender inclusivity, digital technology and transformation, as well as renewable energy. The Country Partnership Framework, or CPF builds on past achievements and aims to help Lesotho build a sustainable and resilient economy, by promoting a private sector driven, export-oriented economy for job creation, supported by an enabling, efficient and effective public sector. The CPF aims to achieve 3 high-level long-term outcomes. 1, increased employment in the private sector. 2, improved human capital outcomes. And 3, improved climate resilience. How will this CPF be different from the previous one? This country partnership framework with a new and innovative way to ensure impact at a scale on the ground. One, use of digital technology and promoting gender cut across all CPF objectives, and results will be monitored. 2, a territorial development approach, harnessing private sector development opportunities in urban areas and improving access and quality of basic services in the poorest rural and mountainous areas. 3, strengthen partnerships with the government and all stakeholders. 4, improving governance and capacity building of the public sector. This partnership with the Kingdom of Lesotho gives rooms to work, not only with the government, but also with the people of Lesotho, youth, women, private sector. And development partners to boost economic growth, reduce poverty and inequality. The World Bank Group remains committed to supporting the kingdom's development. Lesotho, like many sub-Saharan African countries, faces the societal issue of early marriages. This can be a huge hindrance and barrier. towards attaining SDG 5, which is gender equality. Lesotho's leaders have developed a clear plan with uh indicators and targets and clear timelines towards ending child marriages. We welcome the efforts and the support of the World Bank through the CPF in helping Basotho address this uh societal problem.

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