The Chinese government has donated food worth $500,000 to the government of Lesotho during a ceremony held in the capital Maseru on Wednesday.
Speaking at the occasion, Lesotho’s minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Motloheloa Phooko, said his government has planned to build silos to improve capacity of food storage in the country.
“The people of Lesotho are capable of producing excessive food, and the availability of silos will help them improve food security in the country,” he said.
He said he appreciated the generous food assistance from China, adding the ceremony marked another symbol of friendship between Lesotho and China.
Handing over the donation, Chinese ambassador Gao Deyi said the donation strengthened relations that exist between the two countries.
“The Chinese government donated half a million US dollars to the World Food Programme to purchase food and distribute them to people who mostly need assistance,” he said.
WFP Country Director Bhim Udas said Lesotho would continue to need more food for its vulnerable people from countries like China because of the economic threats that include the decline of Southern African Customs Union (SACU) revenues, which has had a great impact on Lesotho’s revenue.
“Other challenges facing Lesotho are HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis and malnutrition, adding that food assistance is one way of reaching out to the people, as food will help to address their problems,” the envoy said.
This is the second time that Lesotho has received food aid from the Chinese government.
In 2009 China donated $1 million for the purchase of food for Lesotho.
Source African Press Agency
African News from NetNewsPublisher.com
Related articles by Zemanta
- Ugandan Experts Help Implement Lesotho’s Civil Reform Legal Project (netnewspublisher.com)
- Farmers in Lesotho Pledge to Increase Productivity in 2010 (netnewspublisher.com)
- Lesotho Postbank Signs Memorandum of Understanding with World Savings Banks Institute (netnewspublisher.com)
