EU Ambassador Paola Amadei Concludes Four-Year Tenure in Lesotho

Paola Amadei, European Union Ambassador to Lesotho, is leaving her post at the end of this month after four years of service. She was the first woman to hold the EU Ambassador role in Lesotho since diplomatic relations between the EU and the Kingdom were established in 1976. Amadei succeeded Christian Manahl in 2021 and quickly became a visible advocate for sustainable development, social equity, and stronger bilateral relations.

During her tenure, Amadei championed initiatives to improve access to water, energy, and justice across Lesotho. She highlighted the EU’s contributions to major infrastructure projects, including wastewater treatment in Maseru, water supply networks in Maputsoe, TY, Roma, Hlotse, Mafeteng, and Mohale’s Hoek, as well as the Metolong Dam. She also promoted the Renoka programme, which combines indigenous knowledge and community governance to preserve water and soil, now replicated across multiple catchment areas.

The ambassador emphasized the EU’s role in social protection. The NISSA database, developed with EU and UNICEF support, has allowed targeted aid to vulnerable households, enabling faster responses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the Equitable Lesotho programme, the EU supported digitalization of child grant payments, increasing transparency and reducing transaction costs. In the justice sector, EU-backed initiatives helped establish children’s courts and regional Ombudsman offices, bringing services closer to citizens.

Amadei cited access as the main achievement of her tenure. She emphasized that improving equitable access to water, sanitation, electricity, justice, education, and health remains central to EU support. She highlighted initiatives such as energy grants for vulnerable families, vaccinations against cervical cancer funded through GAVI, and other programs aimed at empowering Basotho communities.

Challenges included addressing misconceptions about the EU’s intentions and ensuring accountability in the management of aid. Amadei stressed that EU programs align with national priorities and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, with no hidden agendas or conditions attached.

In trade and economic relations, the EU promoted Lesotho’s exports through duty- and quota-free access to EU markets under the regional Economic Partnership Agreement. Efforts also included encouraging tourism, supporting SMEs, and fostering people-to-people ties through academic exchanges and visits to European institutions.

Amadei supported Lesotho’s multisectoral reforms, including constitutional amendments and public financial management improvements. She underscored the importance of local ownership, sustainability, and transparency in EU-funded programs. She noted that budgetary support is conditional on credible reforms, economic stability, strengthened public finance management, and adherence to EU values of democracy, human rights, and rule of law.

Among the ambassador’s proudest achievements are the election observation mission in 2022, expanded water and renewable energy projects, off-grid electricity in remote areas, civic registration programs, and initiatives supporting job creation and cultural promotion.

Reflecting on her time in Lesotho, Amadei highlighted the growth of EU-Lesotho diplomatic and people-to-people relations. She praised the collaboration between Basotho communities, government, and civil society and urged continuity in leveraging the programs established during her tenure.

Amadei will return to Brussels to work in the area of human rights and international justice before her retirement. She expressed confidence that her successor, Ambassador-designate Mette Sunnergren, will continue advancing EU-Lesotho cooperation and ensuring that recent initiatives bear fruit for all citizens of the Mountain Kingdom.

Her tenure leaves a legacy of strengthened bilateral ties, expanded access to essential services, and a model for sustainable, inclusive development in Lesotho.