Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MASERU388
2007-07-05 15:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Maseru
Cable title:  

LESOTHO VOLVIS APPLICATION: COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER

Tags:  KPAO SCUL LT 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3900
RR RUEHMR
DE RUEHMR #0388/01 1861557
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051557Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3118
INFO RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 3498
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MASERU 000388 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR ECA/PE/V/M: EILLEEN CONNELLY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO SCUL LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO VOLVIS APPLICATION: COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER
MOTHETJOA METSING

REF: Maseru 246

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MASERU 000388

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR ECA/PE/V/M: EILLEEN CONNELLY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO SCUL LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO VOLVIS APPLICATION: COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER
MOTHETJOA METSING

REF: Maseru 246


1. Embassy Maseru's Public Affairs Section respectfully submits
the following request for a voluntary visitor program for
Minister Mothetjoa Metsing, Lesotho's Minister of
Communications, Science, and Technology. He is planning to
travel to the U.S. in late August, and would appreciate a
program which would help him better understand U.S.
communication strategies and tools. Post feels that this
program is an important component of our efforts to promote
Lesotho's continued political stability (see reftel). Post
would be happy to provide any additional information or
documentation requested, and kindly thanks ECA for its efforts.


START FIXED-FORMAT TEXT (PLEASE DO NOT EDIT):
: The following data is in a fixed format which enables
: automated processing in Washington and should not be
: edited except by means of the Post-EVDB software.
EXPORT-SOURCE: POST-EVDB
VERSION: 3.0.7
POST-EMAIL: INFOMASERU@STATE.GOV
TRANSMITTING-POST: PAS Maseru
TRANSMITTING-POST-ID: 6119
EXPORT-TYPE: BIO DATA
START NOMINATION:
ECA-OFFICE: E/VGA
PROG-AGENCY-NAME:
POST-PROJ-ID: 36
ECA-PROJ-NO:
PROJ-NAME: Voluntary Visitor Program
START MEMO PROJ-DESC:
A ten-day program designed for Lesotho's Minister of
Communications and Technology. The objective is to afford the
Minister an opportunity to visit and explore the American
government and commercial outreach and communictaions stragies.
The Minister would like to meet key public affirs/communications
officials at relevant USG departments and in the private sector.
The Minister will be accompanied by three officials of the
Ministry of Communications. The Minister specifically requested
to meet with Mr. Reno Harnish, Principal Deputy Assistant
Secretary at the State Department's Bureau of Oceans,

SIPDIS
Environment and Scientific Affairs.
END MEMO PROJ-DESC:
PROJ-TYPE: Individual
PROG-TYPE: IV Grant Visitor
FY: 2007
DEPART-POST: 08/19/2007
SESSION-DATE: 08/20/2007
RETURN-POST: 09/01/2007
NO-OF-PART: 1
RANK-ORDER: 1
START MEMO POST-OBJ:

END MEMO POST-OBJ:
START MEMO POST-RCMD:

END MEMO POST-RCMD:
ECA-OFFICE-ID: 1035
PROG-AGENCY-ID:
PROJ-TYPE-ID: IND
PROG-TYPE-ID: 29
NOMINATING-POST-ID: 6119
FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 6119

STATUS: N
ORIGINATOR: P
SUBJ-DISC: Communications & Information
START BIO:
PREFIX: Mr.
F-NAME: Mothetjoa
M-NAME:
L-NAME: Metsing
SUFFIX:
POSITION-CODE: 700
PRINCIPAL?: Yes
GENDER:
DOB: 02/02/1967
MAR-STAT: M
BIRTH-CITY: Mahobong
BIRTH-CNTRY: Lesotho
CITIZ-CNTRY: Lesotho
RES-CNTRY: Lesotho
START MEMO POSITION:
MInister Communications, Science and Technology
END MEMO POSITION:
START MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:

END MEMO OTHER-POSITIONS:
START MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
Deputy General Secretary - Lesotho Congress for Democracy Party
2002 -2003 -Assistant Minister- Ministry of Trade and Industry
2003-2006 - Assistant Minister of Justice, Human Rights and Law

MASERU 00000388 002 OF 003


and Constitutional Affairs.

END MEMO PREV-POSITIONS:
START MEMO US-TRAVEL:
None
END MEMO US-TRAVEL:
START MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
Switzerland
END MEMO OTHER-TRAVEL:
START MEMO EDUCATION:
Diploma in Business Studies
Graduate Diploma in Commercial Management
masters in Business Administration
END MEMO EDUCATION:
START MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:
None
END MEMO MEMBERSHIPS:
START MEMO PUBLICATIONS:
None
END MEMO PUBLICATIONS:
START MEMO SPEC-CONSID:

END MEMO SPEC-CONSID:
FIRST-LANG: Sotho/Sesutho
ENGL-READ: 4
ENGL-SPEAK: 4
ENGL-COMP: 4
START OTHER-LANGS:
OTHER-LANG: English
OTHER-LANG-ID: EN
READ: 3
SPEAK: 3
COMP: 3
END OTHER-LANGS:
START MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ:

END MEMO NOM-POST-OBJ:
START MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD:

END MEMO NOM-POST-RCMD:
START MEMO VIS-OBJ:

END MEMO VIS-OBJ:
START MEMO VIS-REC:

END MEMO VIS-REC:
NOMINATING-OFFICER: Christopher Smith
START MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION:
Minister of Communications, Science, and Technology Mothetjoa
Metsing requested a voluntary visitor program due to his
perception of the Government of Lesotho's ineffectiveness at
communicating with the populace (see reftel). During an April
20th meeting with Ambassador Perry, the Minister stated that,
"We in the government are weak in the areas of responding and
informing." Borrowing USG terminology, he remarked that great
improvements were needed in the GOL's "public diplomacy."
Minister Metsing noted that "without good messaging, the
government is under siege." Given the current turbulent
political environment in Lesotho, Embassy Maseru feels that the
Minister's trip to the United States and his greater
understanding of public communications strategies is of key
importance to the future stability of the Mountain Kingdom.
END MEMO NOMINATING-JUSTIFICATION:
NOM-OFF:
SPEAKER?: No
NOTIFY-EMB: No
MEDIA?: No
HOME-STAY: No
HOME-HOSP?: No
E-I-TYPE:
NOMINEE-ID: 76
PERSON-ID: 80
BIRTH-CNTRY-ID: LT
CITIZ-CNTRY-ID: LT
RES-CNTRY-ID: LT
FIRST-LANG-ID: SR
E-I-TYPE-ID:
NOM-POST-ID: 6119
NOM-FUNDING-CNTRY-ID: 6119
NOM-STATUS: N
DS2019-ACTION: 1
DS2019-SUBJECT: 09.9999
SPONS-FUNDS: 0
SPONS-AGENCY1:
USGOVT-AGENCY1:
US-AGENCY-AMT1: 0
USGOVT-AGENCY2:
US-AGENCY-AMT2: 0
INTL-ORG1:
INTL-ORG-AMOUNT1: 0
INTL-ORG2:

MASERU 00000388 003 OF 003


INTL-ORG-AMOUNT2: 0
VIS-GOVT-AMT: 0
COMMISSION: 0
OTHER-AMOUNT: 0
VIS-AMOUNT: 0
VIS-CAT: 7
END BIO:
END NOMINATION:
END FIXED-FORMAT TEXT:
MURPHY