LESOTHO DECEMBER 2008 ECONOMIC ROUNDUP: IT, IPR, CLINICS,

UNCLAS MASERU 000005 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S, AF/EPS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ECIN EINV ETRD LT SUBJECT: LESOTHO DECEMBER 2008 ECONOMIC ROUNDUP: IT, IPR, CLINICS, AND CHINA ¶1. In this edition: -- GOL To Add Information Technology to School Curriculum -- Regional IPR Organization Meets, Promotes Regional Cooperation -- Government Clinics to Provide Free Services in 2008 -- China Loans Lesotho Capital for Telecommunications Expansion -------------- -------------- GOL To Add Information Technology to School Curriculum -------------- -------------- ¶2. On December 10, Minister of Education Dr. Mamphono Khaketla announced that the Government of Lesotho will introduce information technology training programs as part of its nationwide public school educational curriculum. Expressing concern about the level of technological awareness across Lesotho, Minister Khaketla stated that the program would begin with the training of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) teachers in 2008. She cited a number of potential problems, however, including the lack of electricity and computers in many rural schools, as well as the lack of professional training opportunities for educators. -------------- Regional IPR Organization Meets, Promotes Regional Cooperation -------------- ¶3. The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) Council of Ministers held its 11th session in Maseru on December 13. The purpose of the forum was to harmonize, coordinate, and develop Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) laws within member states. In his opening remarks, Lesotho's Deputy Prime Minister Lesao Lehohla stressed the necessity of dealing with IPR issues within a well coordinated, harmonized, and systematic regional and international framework. Lehohla acknowledged the support of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to ARIPO's efforts to develop an IPR protection system which would stimulate innovation and contribute to the economic development of member states. Lehohla noted that the issue of piracy and counterfeiting must be also addressed for the protection of traditional knowledge and culture, and recommended that ARIPO create mechanisms to specifically address the issue. ¶4. Mr. Narendra Sabharwal, Deputy Director General of WIPO, said that the commitment of ARIPO member states to defend intellectual property will help them use IPR as a tool for socio-economic development. Sabrharwal said that IPR is now the main determinant of growth. [NOTE: ARIPO member states include: the Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Botswana, Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Uganda. END NOTE.] -------------- -------------- Government Clinics to Provide Free Services in 2008 -------------- -------------- ¶5. On December 20, Minister of Health and Social Welfare Dr. Mphu Ramatlapeng announced that citizens would have free access to healthcare services at all government clinics in Lesotho beginning on January 1, 2008. She noted that it was the responsibility of government to provide basic social services to its citizens at reasonable costs. She also said that TB and HIV/AIDS patients would continue to receive their medication free of charge. -------------- China Loans Lesotho Capital for Telecommunications Expansion -------------- ¶6. December 13, the governments of Lesotho and the People's Republic of China signed an agreement regarding a M228 million loan (approximately $34 million) to expand Lesotho's telecommunications network nationwide. At the signing ceremony, Minister of Finance Dr. Timothy Thahane expressed the GOL's appreciation for Chinese support in various sectors and noted that the telecommunication upgrade would greatly help the dissemination of information to rural communities. Mr. Qiu Bohua, China's Ambassador to Lesotho, stated that the signing was a demonstration of the strong bilateral cooperation between the two countries. He also mentioned that Chinese companies would provide the technology for the telecommunications expansion, which would reach most of Lesotho's population. The loan is expected to be disbursed within a period of five years, and will be repaid over 20 years with an interest rate of 2%. NOLAN