The 64th CTO Council Meeting and Commonwealth Digital Roadshow opened in Maseru with a clear mandate: Lesotho’s digital future will be shaped by deliberate national policy, not the default outcomes of inaction.
Maseru — The 64th CTO Council Meeting and Commonwealth Digital Roadshow officially opened in Maseru on Wednesday, marking a historic milestone for Lesotho as the first African nation to host this prestigious Commonwealth event.
Officially opened by Prime Minister Sam Ntsokoane Matekane, the Digital Policy Forum set an ambitious tone for the week, shifting the focus from theoretical discussions to the concrete national policies needed to shape Lesotho’s digital future.
In a series of powerful addresses, national leaders stressed that technology must serve every citizen, regardless of geographic location. The Minister of Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation, Moorosi, delivered a strong mandate, declaring that Lesotho’s digital trajectory must be “shaped by deliberate national policy, not by the default outcomes of inaction or deferred decision-making.”
At the heart of this vision is a commitment to meaningful connectivity for all Basotho. The Minister highlighted significant progress under the Universal Service Fund, revealing that more than 100 base stations have already been deployed, bringing connectivity to approximately 300,000 citizens who previously had none.
“Geographic isolation is not a justification for exclusion from the future economy.”
The forum also addressed the technical and ethical foundations of a modern digital state. The government’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) strategy prioritises security, open standards, and the protection of vulnerable groups. A major highlight was the announcement of the DPI for Children framework, developed in partnership with UNICEF, which integrates child protection principles directly into the digital architecture.
The Minister further underscored the importance of digital sovereignty. Through investments in high-performance computing and the Lesotho Downward Data Initiative, the country aims to reduce its dependence on foreign infrastructure for artificial intelligence development.
“An AI agriculture expansion service that cannot speak to a farmer in Lesotho has no use on the farm.”
Prime Minister Matekane welcomed international delegates and expressed gratitude for the ongoing support of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO). He described the event as a vital platform for deeper collaboration, particularly in the areas of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
The Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) echoed this view, describing the roadshow as a “critical launchpad” for the implementation of Lesotho’s National Digital Transformation Plan. The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to addressing shared global challenges through enhanced international cooperation.
Beyond the high-level speeches, delegates witnessed the practical impact of these policies through live demonstrations of digital identity systems and e-service platforms. These solutions enable citizens to renew identity documents and process licences remotely, with payments seamlessly integrated via mobile money and bank cards, reflecting the everyday realities of Lesotho’s population.
As the Digital Policy Forum continues through the week, the message from Maseru is unambiguous: Lesotho is not merely participating in the digital age. It is actively engineering an inclusive, sovereign, and people-centred digital future.
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