In 2019, the EU-funded ERMES project conducted an expert mission to support the national reforms dialogue in Lesotho. Through the mission, the National Dialogue Planning Committee (NDPC) was assisted in the formulation of recommendation in the parliamentary and judicial sectors. Moreover, the expert provided an analysis to the EUD on the process and gave institutional recommendations with a view to prevent further conflict.
A second expert mission took place at the start of 2020 in the context of the inauguration of a National Reforms Authority (NRA), which was followed by a two-day induction course for its members (7-8 February 2020). The ERMES expert played a role during this course by providing expertise on the legal and institutional context and the relations of the NRA to the government and parliament and by facilitating a quick operational start of the implementation of the reforms.
Both missions were undertaken in cooperation with the EU Delegation to Lesotho.
ERMES III (European Resources for Mediation Support) is an EU project financed by the FPI's Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace. The College of Europe is the consortium leader in charge of implementing the project. The other consortium members are leading organizations specialized in mediation and dialogue: the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES), ESSEC IRENÉ, Fondation Hirondelle, Interpeace, and MediatEUr.
For more information on the EU’s relations with the Kingdom of Lesotho see here.
For more information about the project, visit its webpage: www.coleurope.eu/ermesiii.