The new Resident Representative (RR) for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Lesotho, Ms. Betty Wabunoha paid a courtesy call on the Right Honorable the Prime Minister of Lesotho, Dr. Motsoahae Thabane at the Prime Minister’s office in Maseru, Lesotho.

The Prime Minister expressed his pleasure in welcoming the new RR and reaffirmed the government of Lesotho’s commitment to work together with the UNDP Country Office. Dr. Thabane further indicated that the focal government ministries that work with UNDP are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Development Planning but assured her that his office will be open at all times to discuss any issues that she would like to raise with him. 

During the visit, Ms. Wabunoha who was accompanied by the Deputy Resident Representative Ms. Christy Ahenkora, reaffirmed the UNDP’s commitment to continue supporting the Lesotho government to achieve the country’s national development priorities. “UNDP Lesotho will do this by engaging other development partners,” said Ms. Wabunoha.  

Ms. Wabunoha indicated that the UNDP Country office will work together with the government of Lesotho to alleviate poverty in Lesotho, “poverty alleviation is the route to reaching all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and by alleviating poverty we will be achieving in all other areas of the SDGs”.    

Ms. Wabunoha said UNDP Lesotho will support the government on issues of climate change resilience. “It is important to prepare our institutions to approach issues of climate change through better planning, in order to recover quickly when hit by disasters”. She further indicated that UNDP will continue supporting Lesotho on the national reforms to further strengthen the stability and peace in Lesotho.

Prior to paying the courtesy call on the Right Honourable Prime Minister, Ms. Wabunoha a week earlier presented her credentials to the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lesego Makgothi.

During the presentation of her credentials, the new UNDP Lesotho Resident Representative informed Hon. Minister Makgothi that she is glad to be in Lesotho and she’s bringing her commitment and leadership to work with the UNDP Country Office to support the government in implementing the National Strategic Development Plan II (NSDP II).

“I appreciate that there is a lot of progress so far by UNDP Lesotho in collaboration with the Government of Lesotho but also  believe there is a lot more of what we can do together”, said Ms. Wabunoha.   

In his remarks after receiving Ms. Wabunoha’s credentials, Hon. Makgothi congratulated the new RR on her appointment to lead the UNDP Country Office in Lesotho and said the Government of Lesotho is ready to work hand in hand with her and provide her with support whenever it is needed.

Hon. Makgothi further acknowledged the support that the Government of Lesotho has enjoyed from both United Nations (UN) Lesotho and UNDP Lesotho under the leadership of Mr. Salvator Niyonzima, the UN Resident Coordinator in Lesotho and Ms. Christy Ahenkora who has been acting as the RR for UNDP Lesotho since December 2018.

“They assisted us in developing a clear roadmap for the Lesotho National Reforms and in putting together the concept papers and presentations that helped the Government to receive the UN Peace Building Fund grant of US$ 2million and without their support Lesotho would not have achieved this,” said Minister Makgothi. 

Ms. Wabunoha has over 18 years proven experience in policy and programme development and operations management at a large scale. The Herriot-Watt University MBA graduate also has expertise in financial analysis and management, contract management and negotiation. She is an excellent team builder with result-oriented mentoring skills.

She first joined UNDP in September 2007 as a Deputy Country Director in Tanzania and has also worked for UNDP Country Offices in Angola and Nigeria.

UNDP in Lesotho works in partnership with Government and other development partners to fight poverty, build resilience to climate change and strengthen good governance, including the rule of law and human rights.