Pretoria – In his capacity as Southern African Development Community (SADC) Facilitator, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa is to return to the Kingdom of Lesotho on Monday to continue efforts to create peace and stability in that country.
This will be the ninth visit to Maseru since the signing of the Maseru Facilitation Declaration and the Maseru Security Accord.
Deputy President Ramaphosa's visit comes against the background of efforts to create a climate conducive for holding elections, scheduled for February 2015 and on a date still to be set by His Majesty King Letsie III.
According to the Presidency, the decision to hold early elections arose from decisions of SADC Heads of State and Government summits held in Victoria Falls, Windhoek and Pretoria earlier this year with a view to help return Lesotho to political normalcy and stabilise the security situation.
This was ratified by all Lesotho's political parties who signed the Maseru Facilitation Declaration facilitated by the SADC Observer mission led by Deputy President Ramaphosa.
Since the appointment of the SADC Observer Mission to the country substantive progress has been made with the signing of both the Maseru Facilitation Declaration and the Maseru Security Accord which resulted in:
- The reconvening of parliament in October 2014
- The dissolution of parliament in December 2014
- Agreement to bring forward elections scheduled for February 2015 and on a date to be set by His Majesty King Letsie III
- The taking of leave of absence and undergo working visits to various African countries by three senior officers of the Lesotho Defence Force and Mounted Police Services
Deputy President Ramaphosa is expected to return to South Africa on Tuesday. – SAnews.gov.za
