LESOTHO: NATURAL RESOURCES MINISTER CALLS ON REHO

UNCLAS MASERU 000296 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV KMCA ECON EAGR EAID LT SUBJECT: LESOTHO: NATURAL RESOURCES MINISTER CALLS ON REHO ¶1. At a May 15 reception to mark the forthcoming departure of U.S. Ambassador June Carter Perry, Monyane Moleleki, Lesotho's Minister of Natural Resources, approached visiting Regional Environment and Health Officer (REHO) Anthony Woods and requested for a meeting the following day. REHO and Poloff met Minister Moleleki the morning of May 16. ¶2. After mentioning some of his accomplishments as Foreign Minister, Minister Moleleki stated that he was very pleased to return to the Ministry of Natural Resources. He expounded at length upon Lesotho's history as a producer of hydro-electricity, and thanked the U.S. for supporting new hydro-power projects through the Millennium Challenge Corporation. He then noted his continuing interest in alternative energy sources, and asked what support the United States government could offer in the fields of solar or wind power. He stated that Lesotho's poor harvests made the country unlikely to be a future producer of biodiesel. REHO described his role as one of policy coordination, not of direct funds distribution. PERRY