Lesotho has showcased its commitment to science, technology and innovation (STI) at the 11th Multi-Stakeholder Forum on STI for the Sustainable Development Goals, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Delivering the national statement, the Minister of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation (MICSTI) Ms. Nthati Moorosi, said for a least developed and landlocked country like Lesotho, STI iSs not a luxury but a lifeline for resilience, inclusion and sustainable development.
Ms. Moorosi noted that progress towards the 2030 Agenda remains uneven globally, making innovation a critical tool for countries facing structural challenges.
She highlighted a number of national initiatives currently underway, including the piloting of digital identity systems and the upgrading of the country’s High-Performance Computing infrastructure through the United Nations-India Development Partnership Fund.
She also pointed to collaborations in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) with the United Nations Development Programme, as well as the Sebabatso innovation platform, which supports young Basotho innovators in developing local solutions.
On artificial intelligence, the Minister reaffirmed Lesotho’s call for inclusive global governance frameworks that take into account the realities of developing countries, particularly those with fragmented or unstructured data systems.
She further stressed that meaningful connectivity should go beyond infrastructure and serve as a foundation for research collaboration, open science and inclusive digital public services.
Ms. Moorosi said Lesotho’s goal of achieving universal meaningful connectivity is central to its STI strategy and is aligned with African Union frameworks and the Awaza Programme of Action.
She called for stronger global partnerships to support STI capacity building, innovation financing, artificial intelligence governance and technology transfer.
She emphasized that innovation must be measured by its ability to improve the lives of the most vulnerable members of society.
Source: Lesotho News Agency [LENA]
