LESOTHO: 2007 UNICEF COUNTRY PROGRAM DOCUMENT COMMENTS

UNCLAS MASERU 000507 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT ALSO FOR IO/EDA: MOLLY GOWER, AF/S; USAID ALSO FOR USAID/GH: DALE GIBB AND JANET PHILLIPS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF SOCI UN LT SUBJECT: LESOTHO: 2007 UNICEF COUNTRY PROGRAM DOCUMENT COMMENTS REF: STATE 116975 ¶1. In response to reftel, Embassy Maseru submits the following comments regarding the 2007 UNICEF Draft Country Programme Document for Lesotho. ¶2. UNICEF is a visible and active UN agency in Lesotho, cooperating effectively with the GOL, donors, and partners. The five-year program proposal (2008-2012) focuses on appropriate initiatives in the areas of child survival; education; adolescent HIV/AIDS prevention and protection; and policy, legislation, and social protection. Given a dearth of national statistics and data, we would like to see UNICEF play a greater role in undertaking or coordinating much needed surveys on nutrition, health, and orphans and vulnerable children to help facilitate donor responses to HIV/AIDS, TB, and food security crises. ¶3. In paragraph 28, the document cites a strategy of "advocacy for increased health budget allocations by the Government [of Lesotho]." It should be noted that the Lesotho Poverty Reduction Strategy (LPRS),cited elsewhere in the Draft Country Programme Document, states that there is no fiscal "headroom" to finance additional recurrent expenditure, and Ministry of Health expenditures are already a notably high percentage of the GOL budget. Poverty reduction is a cross cutting sector in UNICEF Country Programme Document, and as such, the document should take into consideration that increased recurring GOL budget allocations may not be the best path to realizing these goals. ¶4. In paragraph 37, the document refers to emergency preparedness funding necessary for, among other items, ameliorating the "volatile political situation as a result of the general elections in February 2007." While the political situation is a major concern, such efforts might be better left to other UN organizations with more expertise in this area, such as UNDP. MURPHY