Launch of the Lesotho Data for Sustainable Development Project

Maseru.- The Lesotho Data for Sustainable Development Project is a new project of the Government of Lesotho aimed at developing capacities for collection, analysis and dissemination of development data, and building institutional support and technical skills for effective management of development programs and accountable public management system. The proposed project is further intended to strengthen national and sectoral capacities to generate and utilize data to facilitate program monitoring and evaluation, and advocacy for evidence – based planning and results. The project is expected to drive realization of the national, regional and global targets as enshrined in the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), by also promoting centrality and availability of quality data as well as strengthening stakeholder coordination and leadership.

The project has three components as follows:

• National statistics are produced through an effective ecosystem 
• Improved quality and use of data for policymaking and monitoring 
• Legal and policy framework reviewed and strengthened for effective coordination

The project is jointly funded by the European Union and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) at total budget of USD 1,426,550.00, (equivalent to LSM19.97 million) with the European Union making available EUR 1,071,731 (~ $1,188,550.00) and UNDP USD 238,000.

This project will be managed by the UNDP, and implemented by the Ministry of Development Planning through the Bureau of Statistics and the Department of Monitoring and Evaluation over a period of 18 months, from December 2016 to May 2018.