Maseru, Lesotho, December 1, 2020: Ambassador Rebecca Gonzales attended the Lesotho’s national commemoration of World AIDS Day 2020 event hosted by His Majesty King Letsie III at the Royal Palace in Maseru on December 1. Also present were the Prime Minister Dr. Moeketsi Majoro, government officials, international partners, and faith leaders.
Under the theme, “Global Solidarity, Shared Responsibility,” Ambassador Gonzales discussed the tangible impact of the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has supported the HIV response in Lesotho for more than a decade. The Ambassador noted that PEPFAR investments have helped build effective, efficient, and sustainable health care delivery in communities across Lesotho.
Ambassador Gonzales reaffirmed the following to the Basotho people: “The United States, as your longest – standing partner, is here, alongside you, to continue to save more lives, and prevent future HIV infections . We will continue to provide resources and support the proven activities that pushed this Kingdom towards epidemic control, ultimately ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic as a public health threat.”
She also thanked His Majesty King Letsie III for his enduring partnership across her many years in Lesotho, noting that the strong bilateral cooperation between the United States and Lesotho is the cornerstone of PEPFAR’s tremendous success in the country. Ambassador Gonzales also acknowledged Prime Minister Dr. Moeketsi Majoro’s leadership, citing his work to mobilize funding from within the Government of Lesotho and the Global Fund for lifesaving antiretroviral therapy.
Following the November 30 release of the preliminary results of the Lesotho Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (LePHIA 2020) survey, Ambassador Gonzales called on all Basotho to use this year’s World AIDS Day as a time to celebrate Lesotho’s incredible progress in achieving the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets and nearing the ultimate goal of epidemic control.
Despite the many challenges of the Coronavirus global pandemic, Ambassador Gonzales encouraged the people of Lesotho to remain steadfast in their commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS, not only for themselves but for generations to come.
Note: To read the full remarks by Ambassador Rebecca Gonzales at this event, please click here.
For more information, please contact the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy in Maseru via email at NkhahleRA@state.gov or TsiameST@state.gov.