Lesotho–United States relations are

bilateral relations Bilateralism is the conduct of political, economic, or cultural relations between two sovereign states. It is in contrast to unilateralism or multilateralism, which is activity by a single state or jointly by multiple states, respectively. When ...

between the Kingdom of Lesotho and the

United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...

Historical relations

The United States was one of the first four countries to establish an

embassy A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a Sovereign state, state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase ...

Maseru Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, Maseru lies directly on the Lesotho–South Africa border. Maseru had a population of 330,760 in the 2016 census. T ...

after Lesotho gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. Since this time, Lesotho and the United States have consistently maintained positive bilateral relations. In 1996, the United States closed its bilateral aid program in Lesotho. The Southern African regional office of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in

Gaborone Gaborone ( , , ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Botswana, largest city of Botswana, with a population of 246,325 based on the 2022 census, about 10% of the total population of Botswana. Its metropolitan area is home to 534, ...

Botswana Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory part of the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South Africa to the sou ...

now administers most of the U.S. assistance to Lesotho, which totalled approximately $54 million in FY 2016. Total U.S. aid to Lesotho is over $73 million, including humanitarian food assistance. The

Peace Corps The Peace Corps is an Independent agency of the U.S. government, independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to communities in partner countries around the world. It was established in Marc ...

has operated in Lesotho since 1967. About 100 Peace Corps volunteers concentrate in the sectors of

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

health Health has a variety of definitions, which have been used for different purposes over time. In general, it refers to physical and emotional well-being, especially that associated with normal functioning of the human body, absent of disease, p ...

and

education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...

. The Government of Lesotho encourages greater American participation in commercial life and welcomes interest from potential U.S. investors and suppliers.

Economic relations

In July 2007, the Government of Lesotho signed a compact with the

Millennium Challenge Corporation The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a bilateral United States foreign aid agency established by the U.S. Congress in 2004. It is an independent agency separate from the State Department and USAID. It provides grants to countries tha ...

to provide $362.5 million in support to develop Lesotho's water sector, healthcare

infrastructure Infrastructure is the set of facilities and systems that serve a country, city, or other area, and encompasses the services and facilities necessary for its economy, households and firms to function. Infrastructure is composed of public and pri ...

, and private sector. The compact ended in September 2013, with approximately 1 million people expecting to benefit from its investments. In 2025, during the reorganization of US tariffs, Lesotho received a 50% tariff, the highest rate of any country. Most exports to the US come in the form of textiles to be made in Jeans, including in the brand Levi Strauss & Co..

Political relations

In 2025, during a speech to congress, Donald Trump insulted Lesotho, claiming it is "a country nobody has heard of", while announcing the ending of a foreign aid program. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Lejone Mpotjoane condemned his words, and added that close Trump associate

Elon Musk Elon Reeve Musk ( ; born June 28, 1971) is a businessman. He is known for his leadership of Tesla, SpaceX, X (formerly Twitter), and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk has been considered the wealthiest person in th ...

has business interests in Lesotho. Mpotjoane said he was "shocked" to hear a head of state "refer to another sovereign state in this manner" when the two countries had previously had "warm and cordial" relations, according to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Principal U.S. Officials include: * Deputy Chief of Mission / Chargé d'affaires ad interim - Keisha Toms Boutaleb

References

External links

History of Lesotho - U.S. relations
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lesotho-United States relations Bilateral relations of the United States

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Historical relations

Economic relations

Political relations

See also

References

External links