Publication
Policy Watch: Poverty of energy in Lesotho
08 November 2024
- Lesotho faces an energy scarcity challenge attributed to its rugged and demanding topography. Urban areas enjoy substantial access to grid electricity, standing at an 80.6%access rate. However, the rural regions experience a notably lower access rate of 37.7%.
- Accelerating access to grid and off-grid electricity, especially in the highlands and foothills, is key to improving children’s nutrition, health, and learning outcomes, as well as to increasing connectivity.
- Challenges have surfaced within Lesotho's energy regulatory and policy framework. A notable concern is the limited capacity to navigate the swiftly evolving landscape of technology and legal considerations. Another critical issue contributing to the energy landscape's complexity is the ineffective implementation of the national off-grid plan to provide rural areas with access to off-grid electricity. Access to finance is another hurdle that needs to be tackled.
- The Lesotho Energy Policy is aimed at contributing to the improvement of livelihoods, economic growth and investments, at ensuring security and supply, and at moving towards the protection of the environment guides provision/access to energy.
Published by
UNICEF
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