Lesotho to chair SADC security body
The nation takes over leadership of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation after a decade under scrutiny.
Lesotho has been elected the incoming chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. Prime Minister Sam Matekane accepted the position following an extraordinary summit of SADC heads of state and government. This appointment follows years of Lesotho being under regional observation for political instability and security-sector failures.
Foreign Affairs Minister Limpho Tau described the appointment as an honour for all Basotho, stating it is not a victory for one party but for the nation. The country was removed from the Organ’s agenda in August 2025 after being placed on it in 2014 due to an attempted military coup and subsequent political troubles. The SADC Preventive Mission was deployed to Lesotho in 2017 after the killing of Lieutenant General Khoantle Motšomotšo.
The election signifies a turnaround in Lesotho’s regional standing, suggesting the region believes the country has made progress. However, the government must continue reforms, including independent institutions and security agencies operating within the law. The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution passed in 2025 was a step towards addressing governance weaknesses, but the broader reform process remains unfinished.
Why it mattersLesotho's citizens are directly affected by the nation's new leadership role in regional security, which requires continued domestic reforms and stability.