Foreign relations of Lesotho

Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Sidebar with collapsible lists Lesotho's geographic location makes it extremely vulnerable to political and economic developments in South Africa. Its capital is the small city of Maseru. It is a member of many regional economic organizations including the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). Lesotho also is active in the United Nations, the Organisation of African Unity, now the African Union, the Non-Aligned Movement, and many other international organizations. In addition to the Republic of Korea, the United States, South Africa, Ireland, People's Republic of China, Libya, and the European Union all currently retain resident diplomatic missions in Lesotho. Foreign relations of Lesotho are administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations.

Lesotho has historically maintained generally close ties with Ireland (Lesotho's largest bilateral aid donor), the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other Western states. Although Lesotho decided in 1990 to break relations with the People's Republic of China (P.R.C.) and re-establish relations with the Republic of China (commonly known by its main island as Taiwan), it had restored ties with the P.R.C. in 1994.

Diplomatic relations

List of countries which Lesotho maintains diplomatic relations with:

File:Diplomatic relations of Lesotho.svg
#	Country	Date
1	United Kingdom	Template:Dts
2	United States	Template:Dts
3	Israel	Template:Dts
4	Ghana	Template:Dts
5	South Korea	Template:Dts
6	Denmark	Template:Dts
—	Holy See	Template:Dts
7	Canada	Template:Dts
8	Italy	Template:Dts
9	France	Template:Dts
10	Switzerland	Template:Dts
11	Belgium	Template:Dts
12	Austria	Template:Dts
13	Germany	Template:Dts
14	Netherlands	Template:Dts
15	Sweden	Template:Dts
16	Kenya	Template:Dts
17	Uganda	Template:Dts
18	Liberia	Template:Dts
19	Sierra Leone	Template:Dts
20	Ivory Coast	Template:Dts
21	Cameroon	Template:Dts
22	Tanzania	Template:Dts
23	India	Template:Dts
24	Japan	Template:Dts
25	Nigeria	Template:Dts
26	Iran	Template:Dts
27	Madagascar	Template:Dts
28	Serbia	Template:Dts
29	Botswana	Template:Dts
30	Kuwait	Template:Dts
31	Egypt	Template:Dts
32	Australia	Template:Dts
33	Zambia	Template:Dts
34	Romania	Template:Dts
35	United Arab Emirates	Template:Dts
36	Mozambique	Template:Dts
37	Mexico	Template:Dts
38	Brazil	Template:Dts
39	Eswatini	Template:Dts
40	Portugal	Template:Dts
41	Spain	Template:Dts
42	Norway	Template:Dts
43	Bahrain	Template:Dts
44	Malawi	Template:Dts
45	Greece	Template:Dts
46	Poland	Template:Dts
47	New Zealand	Template:Dts
48	Finland	Template:Dts
49	Cuba	Template:Dts
50	Guyana	Template:Dts
51	Jamaica	Template:Dts
52	Guinea	Template:Dts
53	Barbados	Template:Dts
54	Russia	Template:Dts
55	Albania	Template:Dts
56	Bulgaria	Template:Dts
57	North Korea	Template:Dts
58	Ethiopia	Template:Dts
59	Democratic Republic of the Congo	Template:Dts
60	Turkey	Template:Dts
61	Luxembourg	Template:Dts
62	Zimbabwe	Template:Dts
63	Czech Republic	Template:Dts
64	Iraq	Template:Dts
65	Bangladesh	Template:Dts
66	Hungary	Template:Dts
67	China	Template:Dts
68	Nicaragua	Template:Dts
69	Venezuela	Template:Dts
70	Iceland	Template:Dts
71	Algeria	Template:Dts
72	Angola	Template:Dts
73	Rwanda	Template:Dts
74	Pakistan	Template:Dts
75	Mongolia	Template:Dts
76	Bahamas	Template:Dts
77	Malaysia	Template:Dts
78	Thailand	Template:Dts
79	Peru	Template:Dts
80	Singapore	Template:Dts
—	Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic	Template:Dts
81	Namibia	Template:Dts
82	Morocco	Template:Dts
83	South Africa	Template:Dts
84	Indonesia	Template:Dts
85	Slovakia	Template:Dts
86	Vietnam	Template:Dts
87	Philippines	Template:Dts
88	Colombia	Template:Dts
89	Costa Rica	Template:Dts
90	Uruguay	Template:Dts
91	Chile	Template:Dts
92	Template:Country data North Macedonia	Template:Dts
93	Croatia	Template:Dts
94	Argentina	Template:Dts
95	Brunei	Template:Dts
96	Ukraine	Template:Dts
97	Sri Lanka	Template:Dts
98	Lithuania	Template:Dts
99	Tunisia	Template:Dts
100	Qatar	Template:Dts
101	Mauritius	Template:DTS
102	Lebanon	Template:Dts
103	Libya	Template:Dts
104	Cyprus	Template:Dts
105	Ireland	Template:Dts
106	Malta	Template:Dts
107	Sudan	Template:Dts
108	Monaco	Template:Dts
109	Nepal	Template:Dts
110	San Marino	Template:Dts
111	Seychelles	Template:Dts
112	Estonia	Template:Dts
113	Azerbaijan	Template:Dts
114	Trinidad and Tobago	Template:Dts
115	Template:Country data Georgia	Template:Dts
116	Montenegro	Template:Dts
117	Latvia	Template:Dts
118	Kazakhstan	Template:Dts
119	Eritrea	Template:Dts
120	Burkina Faso	Template:Dts
121	Mauritania	Template:Dts
122	Kyrgyzstan	Template:Dts
123	Niger	Template:Dts
124	Belarus	Template:Dts
125	Maldives	Template:Dts
126	Saudi Arabia	Template:Dts
—	Template:Country data State of Palestine	Template:Dts
—	Sovereign Military Order of Malta	Template:Dts
127	Dominican Republic	Template:Dts
128	Bhutan	Template:Dts
129	Bolivia	Template:Dts
130	Jordan	Template:Dts
131	Armenia	Template:Dts

Bilateral relations

Country	Formal Relations Began	Notes
Canada	1967	See Canada–Lesotho relations Canada is represented in Lesotho via parallel accreditation of its high commission in Pretoria, South Africa and has an honorary consulate in Maseru. Since 2006, Lesotho has a high commission in Ottawa Both countries are full members of Commonwealth of Nations. Pakalitha Mosisili was educated in through Canadian Government provided scholarships
Cyprus	25 February 2004	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 February 2004. Cyprus is represented in Lesotho through its High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa. Lesotho is represented in Cyprus via parallel accreditation of its High Commission in London. Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations.
France		See France–Lesotho relations France is accredited to Lesotho from its embassy in Pretoria, South Africa. Lesotho is accredited to France from its embassy in Berlin, Germany.
Germany	1966	Germany is represented in Lesotho through its embassy in Pretoria, South Africa. Lesotho has an embassy in Berlin.
Greece	31 January 1977	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 31 January 1977 Greece is represented in Lesotho through its embassy in Pretoria, South Africa. Lesotho is represented in Greece via parallel accreditation of its embassy in Rome, Italy.
India	8 June 1971	See India–Lesotho relations The High Commission in Pretoria has been concurrently accredited to Lesotho. Lesotho has a High Commission in New Delhi.
Ireland	14 June 2005	Lesotho has significant relations with Ireland. On 13 November 1997, Liz O'Donnell (Irish Minister for State) spoke about the relationship between the two nations and Ireland's future commitment towards Lesotho. The Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern visited Lesotho in 2000. This relationship was further strengthened by a visit from the then President of Ireland Mary McAleese between 14 and 16 June 2006 on her speech about the long-standing relationship with Lesotho and shared history between both nations. The Irish Government has donated aid to Lesotho since 1975. Donations to Lesotho is Ireland's longest running aid programme. On 14 February 2005, Lesotho announced that Ireland is the largest bilateral donor with financial support in excess of M70 million in each of the past three years. Ireland also supports Lesotho's Flying Doctor Service, education, sanitation, water and various health such as the Fight against AIDS with the Clinton Foundation.
Mexico	14 November 1975	Lesotho is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States. Mexico is accredited to Lesotho from its embassy in Pretoria, South Africa.
South Korea	7 December 1966	Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Korea and Lesotho is 7 December 1966 and in 2011 Bilateral Trade were Exports $27,330,000, Imports: $290,000.
Turkey	1980	Embassy of Lesotho in Rome is accredited to Turkey. Turkish ambassador in Pretoria to South Africa is also accredited to Lesotho. Trade volume between the two countries was 1.65 million USD in 2019 (Lesotho's exports/imports: 0.03/1.62 million USD).
United Kingdom	4 October 1966	See Lesotho–United Kingdom relations File:Prime Minister of Lesotho (13717448975).jpg British Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire with Masotho Prime Minister Tom Thabane in London, April 2014. Lesotho established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 4 October 1966. Lesotho maintains a high commission in London. The United Kingdom is accredited to Lesotho through its high commission in Maseru. The UK governed Lesotho from 1868 to 1966, when it achieved full independence. Both countries share common membership of the Commonwealth and the World Trade Organization, as well as the SACUM–UK Economic Partnership Agreement. Bilaterally the two countries have an Investment Agreement.
United States	4 October 1966 15 April 2025	See Lesotho-United States relations The United States was one of the first four countries to establish an embassy in Maseru after Lesotho gained its independence from Great Britain in 1966. Since this time, Lesotho and the United States have consistently maintained warm bilateral relations. In 1996, the United States closed its bilateral aid program in Lesotho. The Southern African regional office of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Gaborone, Botswana now administers most of the U.S. assistance to Lesotho, which totalled approximately $2 million in FY 2004. Total U.S. aid to Lesotho is over $69 million, including humanitarian food assistance. The Peace Corps has operated in Lesotho since 1969.About 69 Peace Corps volunteers concentrate in the sectors of health, agriculture, education, rural community development, and the environment. The Government of Lesotho encourages greater American participation in commercial life and welcomes interest from potential U.S. investors and suppliers. In 2007, the Government of Lesotho signed a compact with the Millennium Challenge Corporation to provide $362.5 million in support to develop Lesotho's water sector, healthcare infrastructure, and private sector. The Lesotho Communications Authority granted Starlink, a company owned by Elon Musk a license to operate for 10 years in Lesotho.

Notable people

• Lefa Mokotjo (1999–2005), ambassador of the Kingdom of Lesotho to the People's Republic of China

See also

• List of diplomatic missions in Lesotho

External links

• Further Reading from Irish Department of Foreign Affairs