Lesotho is marking significant progress in its clean energy transition with the Renewable Lesotho Programme, which will celebrate tangible milestones on Thursday, 6 November 2025, at Itekeng Combined School in Pitseng, Thaba-Tseka. The school is among eight facilities electrified during the first year of the Access to Affordable Renewable Energy (AARE) initiative, implemented by UNDP with funding from the European Union, as well as support from the Government of Ireland and the United Nations Development Programme.
AARE is designed to dramatically expand equitable, gender-responsive access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy across rural communities. The programme directly supports Lesotho’s national goals for universal energy access, climate resilience, and inclusive economic growth, delivering three key outputs: establishing a Results-Based Finance Facility to support the energy transition and integrate into the future National Energy Fund; improving household energy access through green mini-grids, solar home systems, and improved cookstoves; and electrifying public facilities, including schools, clinics, and commercial and industrial sites.
Since its launch in August 2024, AARE has already connected 564 households to clean electricity, nearly half of which are female-headed, and eight schools, benefitting 1,136 pupils. By the end of the project in 2028, targets include 4,400 green mini-grid connections, 3,402 solar home systems, 9,194 improved cookstoves, 24 off-grid schools and clinics electrified, 98 solar water pumps and 100 productive use energy solutions deployed, and 100 kWp of solar capacity installed for commercial and industrial use.
The Renewable Lesotho Programme, a flagship initiative under the EU’s Global Gateway and Team Europe Green Deal Initiative, aims to accelerate the country’s transition toward a green, inclusive, and resilient economy. The Ministry of Energy oversees implementation, with €25 million in financing from the EU and partners, including €860,481 from the Government of Germany. AARE’s rollout alone is supported by €3.7 million from the EU, €100,000 from the Government of Ireland, and $200,000 from UNDP, exemplifying a strong multi-partner collaboration that translates national energy goals into concrete results.
“Renewable Lesotho transcends a simple development project. It stands as an example of international partnership in action,” says EU Ambassador H.E. Mette Sunnergren. “This initiative unites funding and expertise to expand sustainable energy use for the benefit of Lesotho and the planet.”
Dr. Jacqueline Olweya, UNDP Resident Representative, adds, “The Renewable Lesotho Project is more than an energy initiative. Through AARE, we are proving that government, development partners, and communities working together can advance climate action, power progress, and build a greener, more inclusive Lesotho.”
The programme’s comprehensive approach is built on three interconnected components. The Renewable Lesotho GET.Pro Country Window strengthens institutional and regulatory frameworks, builds capacity, and supports public-private partnerships to enable renewable energy investment, implemented by GIZ since April 2023 with €6.86 million in contributions from the EU and Germany. AARE expands equitable access to off-grid energy technologies through innovative financing and is implemented by UNDP for €3.7 million. The Renewable Lesotho Country Window provides dedicated investment for early-stage clean energy companies and renewable infrastructure projects, with an ElectriFi country window of €5 million expected to launch in early 2026, alongside €10 million earmarked for larger energy infrastructure initiatives after feasibility studies.
By integrating policy, finance, and technology, the Renewable Lesotho Programme is laying the foundation for a sustainable, inclusive energy future in the country, demonstrating how collaborative partnerships can transform national ambitions into tangible benefits for communities across Lesotho.
