VZCZCXRO6082
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHRN
DE RUEHMR #0005 0071406
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071406Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3503
INFO RUCNSAD/SADC COLLECTIVE
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 3908

UNCLAS MASERU 000005 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S, AF/EPS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ECIN EINV ETRD LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO DECEMBER 2008 ECONOMIC ROUNDUP: IT, IPR, CLINICS, 
AND CHINA 
 
¶1.  In this edition: 
 
-- GOL To Add Information Technology to School Curriculum 
-- Regional IPR Organization Meets, Promotes Regional Cooperation 
-- Government Clinics to Provide Free Services in 2008 
-- China Loans Lesotho Capital for Telecommunications Expansion 
 
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GOL To Add Information Technology to School Curriculum 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶2.  On December 10, Minister of Education Dr. Mamphono Khaketla 
announced that the Government of Lesotho will introduce 
information technology training programs as part of its 
nationwide public school educational curriculum.  Expressing 
concern about the level of technological awareness across 
Lesotho, Minister Khaketla stated that the program would begin 
with the training of Information and Communication Technology 
(ICT) teachers in 2008.  She cited a number of potential 
problems, however, including the lack of electricity and 
computers in many rural schools, as well as the lack of 
professional training opportunities for educators. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Regional IPR Organization Meets, 
Promotes Regional Cooperation 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization 
(ARIPO) Council of Ministers held its 11th session in Maseru on 
December 13.  The purpose of the forum was to harmonize, 
coordinate, and develop Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) laws 
within member states.  In his opening remarks, Lesotho's Deputy 
Prime Minister Lesao Lehohla stressed the necessity of dealing 
with IPR issues within a well coordinated, harmonized, and 
systematic regional and international framework.  Lehohla 
acknowledged the support of the World Intellectual Property 
Organization (WIPO) to ARIPO's efforts to develop an IPR 
protection system which would stimulate innovation and 
contribute to the economic development of member states. 
Lehohla noted that the issue of piracy and counterfeiting must 
be also addressed for the protection of traditional knowledge 
and culture, and recommended that ARIPO create mechanisms to 
specifically address the issue. 
 
¶4.  Mr. Narendra Sabharwal, Deputy Director General of WIPO, 
said that the commitment of ARIPO member states to defend 
intellectual property will help them use IPR as a tool for 
socio-economic development.  Sabrharwal said that IPR is now the 
main determinant of growth.  [NOTE:  ARIPO member states 
include: the Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, 
Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Botswana, 
Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Uganda.  END NOTE.] 
 
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Government Clinics to Provide Free Services in 2008 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶5.  On December 20, Minister of Health and Social Welfare Dr. 
Mphu Ramatlapeng announced that citizens would have free access 
to healthcare services at all government clinics in Lesotho 
beginning on January 1, 2008.  She noted that it was the 
responsibility of government to provide basic social services to 
its citizens at reasonable costs.  She also said that TB and 
HIV/AIDS patients would continue to receive their medication 
free of charge. 
 
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China Loans Lesotho Capital for 
Telecommunications Expansion 
------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  December 13, the governments of Lesotho and the People's 
Republic of China signed an agreement regarding a M228 million 
loan (approximately $34 million) to expand Lesotho's 
telecommunications network nationwide.  At the signing ceremony, 
Minister of Finance Dr. Timothy Thahane expressed the GOL's 
appreciation for Chinese support in various sectors and noted 
that the telecommunication upgrade would greatly help the 
dissemination of information to rural communities.  Mr. Qiu 
Bohua, China's Ambassador to Lesotho, stated that the signing 
was a demonstration of the strong bilateral cooperation between 
the two countries.  He also mentioned that Chinese companies 
would provide the technology for the telecommunications 
expansion, which would reach most of Lesotho's population.  The 
loan is expected to be disbursed within a period of five years, 
and will be repaid over 20 years with an interest rate of 2%. 
 
NOLAN