Narrative
Full Description
Project narrative
In October 2009 at the 4th Ministerial Conference under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Chinese and Basotho government officials signed an unspecified agreement for the solar street light demonstration cooperation project (太阳能街灯示范合作项目) in Lesotho. On 29 November and 7 December 2011, the Chinese Ambassador and Masotho Minister of Finance signed a follow up exchange of letters. An article from Energy China Forum says this project is financed by a 5 million M grant from the Chinese government; which most likely came from ETCA #1402 also signed in December 2011. On 25 April 2012, the Lesotho Minister of Natural Resources and ZTE representatives signed the implementation contract in which ZTE would provide and install equipment, and send technical assistance teams as well. ZTE pledged to sub-contract some of the works to Masotho firms. The purpose of this project was to install solar-powered street lights in the capital of Maseru and three surrounding districts-- Pitseng, Nazareth, and Mount Moorosi-- covering 4,600 meters of road. Works began in January 2013 and the project was officially handed over on 1 August 2013.