Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the droughts in Lesotho; and what steps will they take to ensure that those living there have enough water to maintain hydroelectric power.

The UK is concerned by the impacts of the droughts in Lesotho. In 2020, the UK provided £6.5 million to support the immediate needs of vulnerable populations across the Southern Africa region, including £1.9 million to Lesotho through multilateral partners, when drought conditions first occurred. Lesotho currently imports most of its electricity, but the Government of Lesotho is expanding its potential domestic hydropower capacity under Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. The UK is supporting the development of clean power options in Lesotho with assistance from the Renewable Energy Performance Platform and funding a regional transboundary water management programme in southern Africa. This programme supports countries in southern Africa, including Lesotho, to manage their shared water resources and better cope with the impacts of climate change (especially floods and drought).