BASOTHO believe that the export of their natural resources that include diamonds, water as well as wool and mohair do not benefit ordinary citizens, an Afrobarometer survey report shows.

According to a press statement released by Advision Lesotho this week, the survey shows that although rich in natural resources, the country’s mountainous areas also have a high record of poverty, poor basic infrastructure and unemployment than other regions.

It states that a majority of Basotho do not have enough to eat and lack access to clean portable water.

These findings suggest that new approaches to the exploitation and sharing of the country’s natural resources are needed.
The data was collected from February to March at the time most African countries were beginning to report their first cases of the Coronavirus.

The survey further shows that Lesotho has recorded fewer than 50 COVID-19 related deaths as of October 2020.

“However, global economic pressures as a result of the pandemic are likely to affect the country’s economic outlook and performance.
“The key findings state that about two-thirds of Basotho say they went without enough food (65%) and clean water (60%) at least once during the previous year, on average and poverty in Lesotho has increased since 2017,” it also states.

It adds that the country’s mountainous areas, home to many of its natural resources, experience high levels of poverty and worse access to basic facilities such as health care services, electricity, water, and road infrastructure than the foothills and lowlands.
It further states that nine out of 10 Basotho argue that ordinary people do not benefit “much” or “at all” from the export of diamonds and water, while more than three-fourths say ordinary Basotho do not benefit from the export of wool.