His Majesty King Letsie III accepted letters of credence from the High Commissioner of Australia to Lesotho, Ms. Tegan Elizabeth Brink at the event held at the Royal Palace in Maseru on Thursday.

Accepting the letters, His Majesty said official relations between the two countries began in 1993, saying the presence of the newly appointed High Commissioner will go a long way in advancing these relations to more avenues.

He said while Lesotho has benefitted immensely from Australia in various corporations that include health and education, more still needs to be done in tourism and agricultural development.

“The Basotho nation has benefited significantly in receiving high level educational training in Australia and health. Australia has been instrumental in supporting Lesotho in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” he said.

He said though the two countries have different levels of economies, they are both members of the Commonwealth and the United Nations.

His Majesty therefore appealed to Ms. Brink to work hand in glove with Lesotho, ensuring that challenges facing the world today including climate change are addressed so that the planet can become a safer place for future generations.

Presenting her letters of credence, High Commissioner Brink said her presence in Lesotho signals her country’s commitment to enhancing bonds of relations between the two countries.

She expressed gratitude to His Majesty for visiting Australia in 2017, saying such is a testament to Lesotho’s state of readiness to enhance relations beyond foreign affairs.

Therefore, she promised His Majesty that in her tenure as the High Commissioner, she will work hard to enhance ties beyond education, thus ensuring economic development.

Present at the event was the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Mr. Mpotjoane Lejone, senior government officials and civil servants.

It is anticipated that after the presentation, the High Commissioner and her delegation will pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister, Mr. Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane later on.

Source: LENA 14/12/2023