By Neo Kolane
The World Bank has endorsed a new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Lesotho focusing on job creation, human capital, and climate resilience.
The programme covers the group’s strategy for 2024-2028.
According to a press statement published on the World Bank’s website on Tuesday this week titled “Lesotho: New World Bank Group Strategy Focuses on Job Creation, Human Capital, and Climate Resilience”, the five-year CPF is centred around three high-level long-term outcomes.
These are; increased employment in the private sector through improving the enabling environment for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, improved human capital outcomes through the strengthening of quality of education, health, and social protection; and strengthened climate resilience through improving the management of natural resources and access to climate resilient infrastructure.
The CPF, which builds on the lessons of the previous CPF for the period 2016-2020 and the findings of the Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD) Update, is aligned with the country’s second National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP).
The World Bank country director for Lesotho, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly said thegroupremains committed to supporting the country’s development aspirations.
Marie-Nelly explained that Basotho are at the centre of this new CPF with a strong focus on building their resilience to social, economic, and climate shocks.
The programme will directly support improvements in governance and capacity building in the public sector.
“Specific attention will be given to gender equality and digitalisation throughout all activities. The CPF reflects consultations with the government, the private sector, civil society, youth, and academia as well as development partners,” she added.
In the same statement, the International Finance Corporate (IFC) country manager for Lesotho, Adamou Labara noted that a stronger private sector could help enhance sustainable and inclusive economic growth, create jobs, and reduce poverty in the country.
