On 6th February 2014, Dr. Thomas Sukwa, the new WHO Country Representative for Lesotho, presented his cre-dentials to the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs & Interna-tional Relations, Mr. Mohlabi Tsekoa, and paid a courtesy call on the Right Hon. Prime Minister of Lesotho, Dr. Thomas Motsoahae Thabane.

Dr. Sukwa arrived in Lesotho on 24th December 2013. He was previously WHO Country Representative in the Gambia. In his introductory re-marks, Dr. Sukwa conveyed a message of good will from the WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, and the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Luis Gomes Sambo.

He reassured that Lesotho will continue to get all the support it has been enjoying since 1967 when she became a member state of WHO. While acknowledging the gains and achievements the country has made so far in the health sector, Dr. Sukwa highlighted some challenges that health systems in our region face and assured the country of WHO technical support to address priorities identified in the National Health Policy, Strategy and Plan (NHPSP) and the Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) while paying particular attention to the health-related MDGs and health systems strengthening.

He concluded by thanking the Government of Lesotho and its people for creating and providing a conducive en-vironment for the work of WHO in the past 47 years. He made a commitment to continue from where his predecessor left, and to work with Government and all stakeholders to contribute to health systems strengthening and strive to attain good health for all. Both the Right Hon. Prime Minister Dr. Thabane and the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs & International Relations Mr. Tsekoa, welcomed Dr. Sukwa to Lesotho and assured him of their full support in executing the mandate of WHO as the Organization has always been a reliable and dependable partner in health de-velopment in the country over the years. In his welcome note the Right Hon. Prime Minister indicated that “WHO has always made its pres-ence felt in Lesotho”.

The visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Relations and the Prime Minister’s Office was conducted three weeks after Dr. Sukwa, in the company of the WCO HIV/TB Officer and the Health Promotion Officer, had paid a courtesy call to the Ministry of Health (16th January 2014), where he met the Executive Management of the Ministry, comprising the Hon. Minister of Health Dr. Pinkie Manamolela, the Principal Secretary for Health Mr. Lefu Manyokole and the Director-General of Health Services, Dr. Piet McPherson.