On the morning of Thursday, 12 December, the Secretary-General traveled from South Africa to Lesotho.
In Maseru, the Secretary-General had a meeting with His Majesty King Letsie III at the Royal Palace.
Subsequently, the Secretary-General proceeded to the State House where he met with Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane and the Cabinet.
After this meeting, the Secretary-General spoke to a joint assembly of Parliament in Lesotho. The Secretary-General noted that Africa’s extensive renewable energy capabilities — from solar to wind to hydropower, with Lesotho exemplifying this potential — remain significantly underutilized, while 600 million Africans still do not have electricity access. “A fair transition requires investment in renewable technologies, provision of concessional financing for green ventures, and support for the exchange of knowledge and technologies. And no other nation could leverage these tools better than Lesotho. You have shown this in the past; I am confident you will continue to do so in the future.”
He added that Lesotho has a significant voice in advocating for these transformations — a voice rooted in its notable history of resilience and equity. (Refer to Press Release SG/SM/22494.)
Following that, the Secretary-General visited the UN House, where he met with United Nations personnel.
Later that evening, the Secretary-General participated in a State banquet hosted by His Majesty King Letsie III.
On Friday, 13 December, the Secretary-General took a helicopter ride to visit the Katse Dam, part of the Highlands Water Project — a collaborative initiative between South Africa and Lesotho.
After this, the Secretary-General was transported by helicopter to the Butha-Buthe district, where he attended the inauguration of a new roadway. This road directly connects Lesotho and South Africa; it also links 15 villages within Lesotho. A section of this road has been named after the Secretary-General.
On Friday afternoon, the Secretary-General departed Lesotho for New York, arriving on Saturday, 14 December.