Lesotho is a small country land-locked by South Africa. It has a population of approximately 1.8 million and an area of 30 000 km2. Maseru, the capital city and administrative centre of Lesotho, has a population of 350 000, which forms the bulk of the urban population of the country. The country faces a number of development constraints, mainly, alarming rates of HIV/AIDs, high poverty rate, urban sprawl leading to inadequate basic services in urban areas, and lack of institutional capacity and involvement of stakeholders.

In its review of these development challenges and learning from past experiences, UNDP Lesotho has identified a partnership between the public and private sectors as being one way of effectively addressing these issues. By promoting this partnership the aim is to increase the access of the urban citizens to basic services, and therewith, to contribute to the creation of a healthy environment and the improvement of living conditions in the urban areas.

Objectives:

This project forms part of the country office’s efforts at ensuring an integrated response to the complex and rapidly worsening development challenges facing Lesotho’s Urban areas; by bringing the public and private sector together, and enhancing their capacity to finding effective means of providing the needed basic services.

The project will also contribute to the Country Office’s efforts in supporting Government’s initiatives to: a) provide a favorable policy environment for provision of services for urban environment through Private, Public Partnership (PPP); b) build capacity for the public and private sector institutions that are involved in the provision of basic services; c) provide options for creation of employment and small business opportunities for the poor in the delivery of basic services.

In this regard, this project’s efforts of capacity building will be linked to the Country Office’s ongoing programmes on ‘Capacity Building for Effective Local Governance’, the UNDP/Habitat programme on Environmental Urban Management/Sustainable Cities and Poverty Monitoring programme, Strengthening National Capacities to Monitor Poverty Reduction Interventions, and Progress Towards the Achievement of the MDGs.

Outputs:
1. Increased involvement of communities and private sector in the provision of basic services and infrastructure in Maseru City Council and other councils through PPP interventions;
2. Improved capacity for Public Private and Civil society actors involved in the provision of basic services;
3. Communities and private sector are involved in prioritization and decision making on provision of basic services;
4. Stakeholdres are exposed to PPP approaches and best practice in the provision of basic municipal services;
5. Identification of PPP initiatives for provision of basic urban environment in other municipalities.
 

Achievements:
Since the PPPUE approach is relatively new in Lesotho, awareness raising on the public, private partnership approach forms an important part of the strategy. Thus, sensitization of the project has been conducted through radio advertisements and billboards in Maseru.

A major achievement came in September 2007, where collaboration between the private and public sector was established for waste collection and management.

Also, an Environmental Profile of Lesotho was conducted and is waiting final approval. As well, a review of policy and legislation for PPP is expected to be completed early in 2008.

Finally, a no-cost extension has been granted for this project, and its lifespan has been extended until all planned activities under the project have been completed.

 

Contact:

Ms. Charu Bist
charu.bist@undp.org