The Kingdom of Lesotho’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Mr. Matete ‘Nena, is stepping up diplomatic engagement with key UN agencies following last year’s high-profile visits to the country by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed.
Mr. ‘Nena recently met with the UNFPA Deputy Executive Director, Ms. Diene Keita, in New York to discuss a range of pressing development issues. She was joined by Mr. Robert Stevens, UNFPA’s focal point for East and Southern Africa, and Ms. Layla Sharafi, Chief of Gender and Human Rights.
The conversation centered around collaborative strategies to tackle gender-based violence, improve women’s rights, reduce youth unemployment, and mitigate the impact of climate change on livelihoods in Lesotho. The country’s Just Energy Transition programme was also part of the agenda, with discussions exploring its potential to drive sustainable development and economic transformation.
They also touched on Lesotho’s potential contributions to two upcoming global gatherings—the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development and the World Summit on Social Development. Both parties expressed a strong willingness to sustain dialogue and deepen cooperation on shared priorities.
