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 the Republic of 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.
List of countries which Lesotho maintains diplomatic relations with:
# | Country | Date [1] |
---|---|---|
1 | United Kingdom | 4 October 1966 [2] |
2 | United States | 4 October 1966 [3] |
3 | Israel | 4 October 1966 [4] |
4 | Ghana | 24 November 1966 [5] |
5 | South Korea | 7 December 1966 [6] |
— | Holy See | 11 March 1967 [7] |
6 | Canada | 27 April 1967 [8] |
7 | France | 21 August 1967 [9] |
8 | Switzerland | 22 August 1967 [10] |
9 | Belgium | 24 August 1967 [11] |
10 | Germany | 15 February 1968 [12] |
11 | Netherlands | 22 February 1968 [13] |
12 | Kenya | 20 June 1968 [14] [15] |
13 | Uganda | 4 October 1968 [16] |
14 | Sierra Leone | 22 October 1968 [16] |
15 | Ivory Coast | 28 October 1968 [17] |
16 | Cameroon | 29 October 1968 [16] |
17 | Austria | 1968 [18] [19] |
18 | Sweden | 1968 [20] |
19 | Denmark | 1970 [21] |
20 | Tanzania | 23 January 1971 [22] |
21 | India | 8 June 1971 [23] |
22 | Japan | 29 July 1971 [24] |
23 | Nigeria | November 1971 [25] |
24 | Iran | 15 December 1971 [26] |
25 | Madagascar | 7 December 1971 [27] |
26 | Serbia | 1972 [28] |
27 | Botswana | April 1973 [29] |
28 | Kuwait | 30 April 1973 [30] |
29 | Egypt | 31 May 1973 [31] |
30 | Australia | 9 July 1973 [32] |
31 | Zambia | 19 September 1973 [33] |
32 | Liberia | 4 July 1974 [34] |
33 | Romania | 1 May 1975 [35] |
34 | United Arab Emirates | 8 July 1975 [36] |
35 | Mozambique | 9 September 1975 [37] |
36 | Mexico | 14 November 1975 [38] |
37 | Brazil | 3 December 1975 [39] |
38 | Eswatini | 12 February 1976 [40] |
39 | Portugal | 29 March 1976 [41] |
40 | Spain | 3 May 1976 [42] |
41 | Norway | 8 May 1976 [43] |
42 | Bahrain | 24 July 1976 [44] |
43 | Malawi | 4 September 1976 [45] |
44 | Greece | 31 January 1977 [46] |
45 | Poland | 20 December 1978 [47] |
46 | Finland | 1 February 1979 [48] |
47 | Cuba | 14 June 1979 [49] |
48 | Guyana | 25 August 1979 [50] |
49 | Jamaica | 19 October 1979 [51] |
50 | Guinea | 1 November 1979 [52] |
51 | Barbados | 25 November 1979 [53] |
52 | Russia | 1 February 1980 [54] |
53 | Bulgaria | 10 July 1980 |
54 | North Korea | 19 July 1980 [55] |
55 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 6 November 1980 [52] |
56 | Italy | 20 November 1980 [52] |
57 | Turkey | 1980 [56] |
58 | Zimbabwe | 1 July 1982 [57] [58] |
59 | Czech Republic | 7 November 1982 [59] |
60 | Bangladesh | 4 March 1983 [60] |
61 | Hungary | 29 March 1983 [61] |
62 | China | 30 April 1983 [62] |
63 | Nicaragua | 14 June 1983 [63] |
64 | Venezuela | 26 June 1983 [64] |
65 | Iceland | 24 August 1983 [65] |
66 | Algeria | 1983 [66] |
67 | Angola | 1983 [67] |
68 | Iraq | 1983 [66] |
69 | Rwanda | 1983 [68] |
70 | Pakistan | 4 July 1984 [69] |
71 | Mongolia | 2 July 1985 |
72 | Ethiopia | 1987 [70] |
73 | Malaysia | 31 March 1988 [71] |
74 | Thailand | 17 April 1989 |
75 | Peru | 21 July 1989 |
76 | Singapore | 12 January 1990 [72] |
77 | Namibia | 11 April 1990 [73] |
78 | Morocco | 1990 [74] |
79 | South Africa | 21 May 1992 [75] |
80 | Indonesia | 4 November 1993 [76] |
81 | Slovakia | 8 May 1995 [77] |
82 | Vietnam | 6 January 1998 [78] |
83 | Philippines | 15 April 1998 [79] |
84 | Colombia | 17 April 1998 |
85 | Costa Rica | 17 April 1998 |
86 | Uruguay | 26 May 1998 |
87 | Chile | 25 August 1998 [80] |
88 | North Macedonia | 3 September 1998 [81] |
89 | Croatia | 6 November 1998 |
90 | Argentina | 19 May 1999 [82] |
91 | Brunei | 30 March 2000 [83] |
92 | New Zealand | 27 April 2000 [84] |
93 | Ukraine | 1 June 2000 |
94 | Sri Lanka | 14 July 2000 [85] |
95 | Lithuania | 20 July 2000 |
96 | Tunisia | 1 December 2000 |
97 | Qatar | 10 April 2001 |
98 | Cyprus | 25 February 2004 |
99 | Mauritius | 20 July 2004 [86] |
100 | Ireland | 14 June 2005 [87] |
101 | Lebanon | 1 September 2005 [88] |
102 | Malta | 11 April 2006 [89] |
103 | Monaco | 15 July 2008 [90] |
104 | Nepal | 18 May 2010 [91] |
105 | San Marino | 30 November 2010 [92] |
106 | Seychelles | 25 January 2011 [93] |
107 | Estonia | 26 September 2012 [94] |
108 | Azerbaijan | 28 September 2012 [95] |
109 | Trinidad and Tobago | 2 November 2012 [96] |
110 | Georgia | 23 September 2013 |
111 | Montenegro | 23 September 2013 |
112 | Latvia | 10 February 2014 |
113 | Kazakhstan | 2 April 2015 [97] |
114 | Burkina Faso | 14 April 2016 [98] |
115 | Mauritania | 9 March 2017 [99] |
116 | Eritrea | 21 June 2015 [100] |
117 | Kyrgyzstan | 20 July 2017 |
118 | Niger | 17 August 2017 [101] |
— | State of Palestine | 23 November 2017 [102] |
119 | Belarus | 2020 [103] |
120 | Maldives | 29 March 2021 |
121 | Saudi Arabia | 20 August 2021 [104] |
— | Sovereign Military Order of Malta | 7 December 2021 [105] |
122 | Dominican Republic | 2 November 2023 |
123 | Burundi | Unknown |
124 | Central African Republic | Unknown |
125 | Equatorial Guinea | Unknown |
126 | Gabon | Unknown |
127 | Libya | Unknown |
128 | Luxembourg | Unknown |
— | Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic | Unknown |
129 | Somalia | Unknown |
130 | Sudan | Unknown |
Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
---|---|---|
Canada | 1967 | See Canada–Lesotho relations
|
Cyprus | 25 February 2004 |
|
France |
| |
Germany | 1966 [111] |
|
Greece | 31 January 1977 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 31 January 1977 [113] |
India | 8 June 1971 [115] | See India–Lesotho relations |
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. [118] 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. [119] The Irish Government has donated aid to Lesotho since 1975. Donations to Lesotho is Ireland's longest running aid programme. [120] 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. [121] Ireland also supports Lesotho's Flying Doctor Service, education, sanitation, water and various health such as the Fight against AIDS with the Clinton Foundation. [122] |
Mexico | 14 November 1975 | |
Russia | 1 February 1980 | During the 1980s, the Soviet Union and Lesotho developed closer relations. In 1992, Lesotho recognised the Russian Federation as the successor state to the Soviet Union. From 2004 to 2007 Monyane Moleleki, who had studied at the Moscow State University, was Lesotho's Minister of Foreign Affairs. |
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. [125] |
Turkey | 1980 | |
United Kingdom | 4 October 1966 | Lesotho was previously the British protectorate of Basutoland prior to gaining independence in 1966. Since then Lesotho has been a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and maintained strong relations with the United Kingdom, exchanging High Commissioners between respective governments. The United Kingdom has maintained its status as one of Lesotho's major defence equipment suppliers as well as significant investment coming from the United Kingdom to help in the prevention and management of AIDS/HIV as well as other infrastructure projects. |
United States | 4 October 1966 | 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. This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State. [127] |
Botswana has put a premium on economic and political integration in southern Africa. It has sought to make the Southern African Development Community (SADC) a working vehicle for economic development, and it has promoted efforts to make the region self-policing in terms of preventive diplomacy, conflict resolution, and good governance.
Burkina Faso has good relations with the European Union, African and certain Asian countries.
President François Bozizé has said that one of his priorities is to get the support of the international community. This has indeed been visible in his relations to donor countries and international organisations. At the same time it is difficult to have an open policy towards neighbouring countries when they are used as safe haven by rebels regularly attacking Central African Republic (C.A.R.), or when one allied country is in war with another.
In November 1975, Comoros became the 143rd member of the United Nations. The new nation was defined as consisting of the entire archipelago, despite the fact that France maintains control over Mayotte.
Gabon has followed a non-aligned policy, advocating dialogue in international affairs and recognizing both parts of divided countries. Since 1973, the number of countries establishing diplomatic relations with Gabon has doubled. In inter-African affairs, Gabon espouses development by evolution rather than revolution and favors regulated free enterprise as the system most likely to promote rapid economic growth. Concerned about stability in Central Africa and the potential for intervention, Gabon has been directly involved with mediation efforts in Chad, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Angola, and former Zaire. In December 1999, through the mediation efforts of President Bongo, a peace accord was signed in the Republic of Congo between the government and most leaders of an armed rebellion. President Bongo has remained involved in the continuing Congolese peace process. Gabon has been a strong proponent of regional stability, and Gabonese armed forces played an important role in the UN Peacekeeping Mission to the Central African Republic (MINURCA).
The foreign relations of Guinea, including those with its West African neighbors, have improved steadily since 1985.
Kenya maintains relations with various countries around the world. Its closest ties are with its fellow Swahili-speaking neighbors in the African Great Lakes region. Swahili speaking neighbours mainly include countries in the East African Community such as Burundi, the DRC, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
Madagascar has diplomatic relations with many countries, both individual bilateral relations and by virtue of its membership of African and other regional blocs. International aid has been received from the IMF and the World Bank, and a national environmental plan supported by the World Bank and USAID began in 1990.
Malawi's former President Bakili Muluzi continued the pro-Western foreign policy established by his predecessor, Hastings Banda. It maintains excellent diplomatic relations with principal Western countries. Malawi's close relations with South Africa throughout the apartheid era strained its relations with other African nations. Following the collapse of apartheid in 1994, Malawi developed, and currently maintains, strong diplomatic relations with all African countries.
Mauritius has strong and friendly relations with the West, with South Asian countries and with the countries of southern and eastern Africa. It is a member of the World Trade Organization, the Commonwealth of Nations, La Francophonie, the African Union, the Southern Africa Development Community, the Indian Ocean Commission, COMESA, and the recently formed Indian Ocean Rim Association.
For the two decades preceding the Republic of the Congo's 1991 National Conference, the country was firmly in the socialist camp, allied principally with the Soviet Union and other Eastern bloc nations. Educational, economic, and foreign aid links between Congo and its Eastern bloc allies were extensive, with the Congolese military and security forces receiving significant Soviet, East German, and Cuban assistance.
Eswatini is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the African Union, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Southern African Development Community. Currently, the Kingdom of Eswatini maintains 11 embassies and High Commissions along with 15 consulates and other representations around the world, while there are five embassies and High Commissions in Eswatini as well as 14 consulates and other representations.
Tanzania's first president, Julius Nyerere also was one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement, and, during the Cold War era, Tanzania played an important role in regional and international organisations, such as the Non-Aligned Movement, the front-line states, the G-77, and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). One of Africa's best-known elder statesmen, Nyerere was personally active in many of these organisations, and served chairman of the OAU (1984–85) and chairman of six front-line states concerned with eliminating apartheid in Southern Africa. Nyerere was also involved with peace negotiations in Burundi until his death. Nyerere's death, on 14 October 1999, is still commemorated annually.
Although Togo's foreign policy is nonaligned, it has strong historical and cultural ties with western Europe, especially France and Germany. Togo is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, exchanging high commissioners with other Commonwealth countries. It recognizes the People's Republic of China, North Korea, and Cuba, and re-established relations with Israel in 1987.
Former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali has maintained Tunisia's long-time policy of seeking good relations with the West, while playing an active role in Arab and African regional bodies. President Habib Bourguiba took a nonaligned stance but emphasized close relations with Europe, Pakistan, and the United States.
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau follows a nonaligned foreign policy and seeks friendly and cooperative relations with a wide variety of states and organizations. France, Portugal, Angola, Brazil, Egypt, Nigeria, Libya, Cuba, the Palestine Liberation Organization, Ghana, and Russia have diplomatic offices in Bissau.
The foreign relations of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania have, since 1960, been dominated by the issues of the Spanish Sahara and the recognition of its independence by its neighbours, particularly Morocco. Mauritania's foreign relations are handled by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, who is currently Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug.
Throughout the Cold War, Ivory Coast's foreign policy was generally favorable toward the West. In particular, Félix Houphouët-Boigny kept relations with France that was among the closest between any African country and a former colonial power. The country became a member of the United Nations at independence in 1960 and participates in most of its specialized agencies. It is also an associate member of the European Union. In general, President Bédié initiated and maintained relations with many countries of the European Union and Asia. Ivory Coast maintains a wide variety of diplomatic contacts.
The 1955 Austrian State Treaty ended the four-power occupation and recognized Austria as an independent and sovereign state. In October 1955, the Federal Assembly passed a constitutional law in which "Austria declares of her own free will her perpetual neutrality." The second section of this law stated that "in all future times Austria will not join any military alliances and will not permit the establishment of any foreign military bases on her territory." Since then, Austria has shaped its foreign policy on the basis of neutrality.
Democratic Republic of Congo formerly known as Zaire is a country located in central Africa. Its the second largest country in Africa and 11th in the world.
... Lesotho has established diplomatic relations with Kenya ; its High Commissioner and roving ambassador ,Charles Molapo , has arrived in Nairobi ( CTK in English 15.30 GMT 20.6.68 )
The High Commissioner for the Kingdom of Lesotho in the United Kingdom is accredited to the Federal Republic of Germany , France , the Vatican and Austria.
Le Lesotho va établir des relations diplomatiques au niveau des ambassadeurs avec l'Etat des Emirats Arabes Unis , annonce le Ministère des Affaires étrangères à Maseru ...
The Lesotho Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced in Maseru that Lesotho and Malawi have established diplomatic relations at High Commissioner level on a non-residential basis.
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