Maseru - SADC Facilitator and South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa today, Thursday 18 September 2014 concluded his first official visit to the Kingdom of Lesotho as part of regional efforts to assist the people of the country to find a peaceful resolution to their current challenges.

The Facilitator was supported in this regard by SADC Deputy Executive Secretary Dr.Themba Mhlongo, experts and members of the SADC Secretariat.

During the visit, the Facilitator Deputy President Ramaphosa paid a courtesy on his Majesty, King Letsie III to brief him about the mandate from the SADC Double Troika plus DRC and Tanzania which met in Pretoria on Monday 15 September to chart the way forward out of the current challenges facing Lesotho.

Critical among these issues are the agreement by the role players to bring forward elections in Lesotho, the reconvening of parliament as well as the stabilisation of the security situation in the country.

The Facilitator also met with the three leaders of the Coalition Government led by Prime Minister Tom Thabane, Deputy Prime Minister Metsing and Mr Thesile Maseribane. 

As part of building an inclusive process towards the development of a lasting solution to the current challenges, the Facilitator and his SADC delegation also had an opportunity to meet with the members of the College of Chiefs and Members of main and small opposition political parties to exchange views on the current situation and the way forward. 

All parties welcomed the visit of the Facilitator and his delegation and committed themselves to working with SADC to resolve their challenges.

The Facilitator was encouraged by a deep sense of patriotism among all political role-players and their determination to help find a lasting solution within the letter and spirit of the SADC Terms of Reference to resolve the challenges.

The Facilitator, Deputy President Ramaphosa and his delegation will return to Maseru on Monday and Tuesday 22-23 September as part of a series of visits that he will pay to assist the people of the Kingdom of Lesotho find an amicable resolution to their challenges.

Issued by: the SADC Secretariat

Maseru, Lesotho