…as EU convene structured dialogue with CSOs
Moroke Sekoboto
THE European Union (EU) in Maseru has officially launched its Europe Month celebrations by convening the second Structured Dialogue with local Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
The event, centred on the Particip Project and the EU-CSO Roadmap 2025–2028, highlighted a deepening partnership aimed at tackling the country’s most pressing challenges in water, energy, and inclusive governance.
Opening the session yesterday at Sesotho Media and Development (SM&D) offices in Maseru East, the EU Head of Cooperation in Lesotho, Anna Renieri, emphasised that the dialogue was more than a formality—it was a cornerstone of the EU’s strategy in Lesotho.
Ms Renieri noted that the timing was critical as Lesotho navigated the Global Gateway initiative, which focuses on sustainable investments in infrastructure.
She challenged CSOs to move beyond traditional roles and act as agents of change and bridges between policy and people, particularly in monitoring how investments benefit the most marginalised Basotho.
“This dialogue holds special significance as it marks the first event of Europe Month — a time when we celebrate the shared values, partnerships, and aspirations that bind the EU to Lesotho. May is a reminder of our collective commitment to democracy, human rights, and sustainable development. It is an opportunity to reflect on how our collaboration can turn challenges into opportunities — whether through climate action, gender equality, or inclusive governance,” Ms Renieri said.
“As civil society organisations, you are agents of change and the bridge between policy and people. Your work — whether in advocacy, service delivery, or holding institutions to account — is indispensable to Lesotho’s progress. And we believe that your influence must extend beyond traditional sectors. The challenges Lesotho faces — from climate resilience to gender equality, from energy access to democratic governance — are interconnected. So too must be our solutions.
“When the EU designed programmes or allocated resources, it did not want to rely on assumptions or distant analyses. It needed insights rooted in lived experience to ensure its support was precise, relevant, and impactful.”
She also said the dialogue was timely as later this month, the EU and the government will hold the annual partnership dialogue, with a sharp focus on governance, human rights, water, and energy.
“This is not a one-off conversation. It is part of a continuous commitment — one that will unfold in the regional dialogues later this year, where we will take these discussions to Berea, Mokhotlong, Mafeteng, and beyond,” she added.
EU Programmes Manager, Marcella Veneziani, said the dialogue served as a platform to finalise the EU-CSO Roadmap 2025–2028, a strategic document designed to integrate civil society into the full lifecycle of development projects.
Ms Veneziani outlined four key priorities for the roadmap: inclusive dialogue to ensure CSO engagement is predictable and aligned with policy processes; capacity building to strengthen technical and advocacy skills so CSOs can lead in sectors such as water and renewable energy; sustainable ecosystems to foster a more coordinated and diverse civil society network; and accountability in investment to empower CSOs to monitor EU-supported projects under the Global Gateway strategy.
She added that the recommendations generated during the session would be channelled into the upcoming Annual Partnership Dialogue between the EU and Lesotho later this month, which will focus heavily on governance, human rights, and energy independence.
She said that by positioning CSOs as strategic partners, the EU aimed to foster a development pathway where economic transformation was not only sustainable but also transparent.
“The Roadmap is closely aligned with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, which is scaling up engagement in Lesotho and supports sustainable investments, particularly in water and renewable energy. In this context, civil society plays a critical role in ensuring that they are inclusive and responsive to local needs, transparent and accountable, and aligned with environmental, social and human rights standards,” Ms Veneziani said.
Ms Veneziani stated that these priorities were complemented by broader EU cooperation in areas such as governance, human development, and youth engagement.
“The Roadmap supports civil society to engage effectively across both policy processes and project cycles, including through participation in consultations, monitoring of implementation, and engagement with accountability and grievance mechanisms,” she said.
“The four priorities are mutually reinforcing and aim to position civil society as a strategic partner in Lesotho’s development trajectory. Through this Roadmap, the EU and its Member States reaffirm their commitment to promoting inclusive and participatory governance, strengthening accountability and transparency, and ensuring that investments and policies deliver tangible and equitable benefits for citizens,” Ms Veneziani added.
She said the objective was to support a development pathway in which civil society contributed meaningfully to shaping policies, strengthening institutions, and ensuring that economic transformation was sustainable, inclusive, and responsive to local realities.
