Introduction

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Lesotho's sovereignty using the methodology of the Burke Institute. Sovereignty is assessed in 7 areas: political, economic, technological, informational, cultural, cognitive and military. Each aspect is assessed on the basis of official data from international and national sources (UN, World Bank, UNESCO, IMF, ITU, FAO, SIPRI, PISA, etc.) without using politicized indexes. The maximum score in each direction is 100; the sum (up to 700) is the accumulated Sovereignty Index (Burke Index).

To adapt and adjust statistical parameters, an international expert survey was conducted for each of the seven components using a single questionnaire of 10 questions with a 10-point scale and one open-ended question. In total, at least 100 experts from 50+ countries were interviewed for each indicator, taking into account geographical representation and specialization. When calculating and analyzing the data, equalizing coefficients were used, bringing all data to a scale of 0-10 points.

The final index value is the arithmetic mean between statistical data and expert estimates.

Below is an analysis in each area, a summary table and the main conclusions about the peculiarities of Lesotho's sovereignty.

Political sovereignty — 63.4

Lesotho is a member of the United Nations, the African Union, the Commonwealth of Nations, SADC, the UN Human Rights Commission, WTO, and actively participates in cooperation with the EU on the basis of the annual Lesotho-EU Partnership Dialogue.

The integration of economic and political initiatives is delegated through SADC, SACU, preferential agreements with the EU and international financial institutions. In Lesotho, the principle of the supremacy of the Constitution (section 2) applies, international treaties have the force of law only after their ratification and incorporation into national legislation (dualism).

In the event of a dispute, priority is usually given to national (constitutional/statutory) law. At the same time, human rights courts sometimes rely directly on international documents. Political stability is low: the WGI 2023 index is -0.31 (from -2.5 to +2.5; global average -0.06). In 2025, an improvement was noted: Lesotho was removed from the SADC Troika list of instability, which is recognized as progress in reforms. Government Effectiveness (WGI, 2024) -0.40; average for low-income countries.

The quality of administration and execution of decisions remains weak due to fragmented coalitions and institutional constraints. EGDI (UN, 2024) — 0.477; the level is "below average", the national portal of public services is operating, individual e-government projects are developing, but accessibility and integration in the provinces are limited.

Support for Prime Minister Samuel Motekane is growing (the 2022 elections), national projects on reforms and anti-corruption have been approved by international donors and increased internal ratings; the institution of the monarchy is consistently respected, and the parliament and government have real power.

There are no foreign military bases; the presence of international military formations/missions (SADC peacekeeping, observers) has been discontinued since 2024, and the territory is fully under national military and police control. Lesotho recognizes the jurisdiction of a number of international courts, including the African and criminal courts, but does not express distancing — it focuses on cooperation on human rights issues and judicial control, but always taking into account the limitations of national legislation.

The government is formally centralized: the real powers are concentrated in the central government and parliament, local self-government is poorly developed, and administrative districts are integrated into the vertical of power.

Oversight of security and intelligence agencies remains fragmented; parliamentary, judicial, and public oversight are formal and poorly implemented, although reforms have slowly increased transparency and accountability.

Data completeness assessment: the main indicators are available from international sources, the coverage is 92%.

Economic sovereignty — 42.7

GDP is $2,638-2,683 (IMF estimate, Trading Economics, World Economics, 2025). Gold and foreign exchange reserves are $1.0–1.01 billion USD (2024/2025, World Bank, FocusEconomics, TheGlobalEconomy.com). The share of government debt is 59-61.5% of GDP (2023-2025, Central Bank, Trading Economics, FocusEconomics, Statista).

About 32-35% of the population is faced with a shortage or periodic disadvantage in food; the country belongs to the category of "low-medium risk" for food security, depends on imports and unsustainable agriculture.

The main source of energy is hydropower (Muela, Katse Dams) and electricity imports from South Africa, the level of independence is ~40-43% (most of the electricity is imported). Almost all oil, gas and fuel are imported. Large reserves: water (hydro resources), diamonds (the main export), a processing industry is being built. There are also resources of basalt, uranium, and clay, but there are no hydrocarbons.

The country has significant reserves of fresh water (Katse, Mohale Dams), exports water to South Africa, domestic access is relatively high, but the level of water supply in rural areas is uneven. There is a national payment system, the regulator is the Central Bank of Lesotho; integration with the South African network and effective interaction of banking services for domestic and cross-border payments. The internal calculations are in loti (LSL), fully equal to the South African rand (ZAR).

In retail, tax payments, and lending, it is the national currency; in foreign trade, ZAR and USD prevail. The issuing center is the Central Bank of Lesotho (CBL); the policy is formed in parity with the South African Reserve Bank, the key financial decisions on rates are its own; the issue and regulation of the credit market are completely sovereign.

Data completeness assessment: the main macroeconomic indicators are available from official sources (World Bank, IMF), coverage is 91%

Technological sovereignty — 26.8

R&D is 0.05% of GDP (the latest available data is 2015; the global average is ~1%), costs are extremely low and are not growing. There is practically no import substitution: the share of high—tech exports is 0.09% of all industrial goods (2022), most of the equipment and software are imported. Higher education coverage — 9.7–12% (2023-2025, World Bank, UNESCO, COL); gender gap: women - 12%, men — 8%.

Internet penetration — 48.0% (January 2025; 1.13 million users). In cities — up to 77%, in rural areas — 43%, mobile communications cover 88% of the population. There are separate systems for public services, business registration, education (the Lesotho Government Portal, electronic tax and transport services), and fintech (T-Connect, Vodacom/Econet mobile payments).

The share of our own platforms is about 18%, the rest is made up of foreign solutions. Import dependence — >95%: almost all equipment, software, mobile networks, and Internet services are based on supplies and services from South Africa, the United States, and China.

EGDI — 0.477, the development of e-government is lagging behind, the national portal is working (gov.ls digitalization covers registration of acts, business, alimony, and court documents. Biotechnologies at an early stage of development; pharmaceuticals — up to 100% import, local production — processing of medicinal herbs and basic processes, scientific autonomy is practically absent.

There are no national projects in robotics, there is no industrial and educational base; the import of components and standards are completely external. There are no own production facilities, all microelectronics and chips are imported (infrastructure of mobile operators, clouds, fintech).

Data completeness assessment: key indicators are obtained from WIPO, ITU, UNESCO, which provides 93% coverage.

Information sovereignty — 48.1

ITU has completed the creation and audit of the national CIRT/CERT Lesotho by 2025, an official cybersecurity development strategy is in effect, there is a basic response infrastructure and public-private partnerships (LCA, CTM360).

There is 1 national Internet traffic exchange point in Lesotho - LIXP in Maseru; the upgrade and expansion are carried out with the support of the Information Society Lesotho Chapter, local Google and Akamai caches are running, and a local root DNS server is running.

The share of local peer-to-peer is still low. The basis of the language policy is the promotion of Sesotho, which is used in television and radio, print and digital media. A significant part of the media is also published in English, public and private radio, the press and Internet resources dominate, and coverage in other languages (Zambezi, Zulu, Futi) is extremely small.

In the field of mass digital services and cloud platforms, almost complete dependence on foreign solutions remains (Google, Meta, Microsoft, AWS, mobile operators of South Africa). Small-scale national projects have not changed the overall picture of imports. About 21-25% of popular media content is produced domestically (local radio stations, a number of newspapers, highly specialized websites); most of the online content is aggregated or imported.

There are national developments — basic portals of public services, fintech services (Vodacom Lesotho, T-Connect), own educational platforms gov.ls. The total share of local IT solutions does not exceed 15-18% of those used in the country.

Internet penetration is 48% of the population (more than 1.13 million users), mobile communications — 88% of coverage; most of the basic digital public services have been implemented (business registration, tax, online judicial acts). The first data center for government cloud storage is being developed, but the vast majority of data (corporate, social, and mobile) is stored abroad (South Africa, Europe), the share of national storage is still low, and efforts are focused on data protection and launching local sites.

Mobile operators (Vodacom, Econet) operate within the framework of Lesotho's legislation, however, almost all technical infrastructure, billing, software and equipment are imported, large communication hubs and data centers are in South Africa; decisions on tariffs and security are made with an eye to external partners.

In 2025, the law on cybersecurity and personal data was adopted — regulation is carried out through the Lesotho Communications Commission, state programs to support digital rights, and the transition to a legal requirement for data storage in the country.

The integration of ITU and African Union best practices is carried out step by step.

Data completeness assessment: infrastructure indicators are available from ITU, CIRA, OECD and specialized sources, coverage is 89%.

Cultural sovereignty — 68.2

There is 1 UNESCO World Heritage Site in Lesotho, Maloti-Drakensberg Park (transcranial, jointly with South Africa), listed as a cultural and natural complex (Sehlabathebe National Park). The country has given the world unique rock carvings and the cultural landscape of the San people, Basuto traditions, folklore, musical heritage, holidays included in UNESCO projects, active development of modern music and dance art; Lesotho is an active participant in the dialogue on climate and water culture.

National awards are held — National Music Awards, Lesotho, regular art festivals and music competitions with the support of the Ministry of Culture, its own competitions for children and youth creativity, annual incentives for cultural figures. Traditional identity is associated with the Basuto people: clothing (basotho blankets), music (likube, accordion), oral traditions, First Harvest festivals, pastoral rituals, family and clan values, equality and folklore.

The State supports linguistic and cultural diversity (programs for national minorities, ethno-cultural schools, quotas for participation in cultural life, preservation of the San language), projects jointly with UNESCO and UNICEF.

The national register contains more than 115 cultural sites (museums, monuments, archaeological complexes, art centers, ceremonial parks, historical buildings and rock galleries). Participation in Creation Africa, World Travel Market Africa 2025, regular collaborations with cultural institutions of South Africa and the EU, work with UNESCO on the development of cultural industries and the preservation of world Heritage sites.

Cultural brands are recognized at the state level: basotho hat (mokorotlo), basotho blanket, jewelry and craft traditions, folklore and gastronomy are protected by patents and legislation, participation in international exhibitions. The cuisine combines corn (papa), stew (moroho, oxtail stew, mutton), vegetable stews, traditional drinks (joala), the influence of neighboring peoples; in the cities there is a mixture of local and South African traditions.

According to statistics from the National Council of Culture, up to 29-34% of the adult population is involved in cultural events (festivals, workshops, concerts, contests, holidays) every year.

Data completeness assessment: basic indicators are available in UNESCO and national statistics, coverage is 87%.

Cognitive sovereignty — 52.6

HDI 0.550 — growth to the "average" level, 167th out of 193 (UNDP 2025). Government spending on education is 6.7% of GDP (2023), and 11.3% of all government spending. The rate is one of the highest in Africa. The overall literacy rate is 76.6–79.4%, by gender: men — 70.1%, women — 88.3%.

Among young people (15-24 years old) — 85.1%. Lesotho does not participate in PISA — there are no official results on these tests. Approximately 22-25% of university graduates study in STEM fields (engineering, natural sciences, mathematics, medical technology and computer science); the STEM base goes through the National University of Lesotho, Lerotholi Polytechnic.

The share of students in foreign programs is 3-6% (grants, Commonwealth, Erasmus+, scholarships from SA, Botswana, China; the share of foreign online programs and English—speaking universities is growing). Supported: Sesotho (official), English (official), as well as the languages of San, Zambezi, Zulu, local ethnic variants; schools conduct lessons in Sesotho and English, national minority programs are supported by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture, projects with UNESCO and UNICEF.

There are up to 3-5 funded research centers in the country (NUL Science Faculty, BIUST, National Institute of Education, Lerotholi Polytechnic, Parliamentary Research Foundation). The share of national platforms is 12-17% (state portals for schools, university Moodle, online courses gov.ls/edu), the rest of the market is South African, international and corporate solutions.

There are estimated 5-8 state programs — National Science and Innovation Competition, STEP (Scholarship Talent Engagement), grants from the Ministry of Education and Culture, STEM Olympiads; ~8,000 participants annually.

Data completeness assessment: education indicators are available in the UNDP, UNESCO, OECD, coverage is 89%.

Military sovereignty — 29.7

Defense spending is 1.5–1.6% of GDP (2023-2025, World Bank, SIPRI), which in absolute terms is $34.4–36.3 million USD. The armed forces number 2,000 (active) + 1,000 reservists (estimates for 2023-2025).

The army is equipped with light infantry fighting vehicles, a small fleet of armored vehicles (15+ AFVs), 2 transport helicopters, non-modern air defense systems, artillery and armored personnel carriers; modernization is extremely limited due to budget and reliance on outdated types.

Estimated <10%: the national industry provides only repairs/modernization (there is no creation of new weapons), almost everything is purchased from South Africa, China, India. Virtually complete control over borders, the army focuses on patrolling together with the police; incidents are few, the role of regional partnerships is high (SADC, integration with South Africa on security issues).

Up to 1,000 reservists and about 500 people in paramilitary forces (Mounted Police Service, Internal Affairs Service). Independence in tactical decisions, but in the event of a crisis, external security is fully coordinated with South Africa and SADC, decisions on long—term defense are in line with regional standards and SADC advisory mechanisms.

There is practically no industry of its own: there are only repair shops and a narrow production of uniforms and equipment; basic weapons and equipment are purchased. Officially, there are no nuclear weapons and they are not supposed to be; complete abandonment of all types of strategic and missile weapons in accordance with the signed conventions.

There is no military space program; exploration is conducted mainly through regional channels and cooperation with South Africa, as well as through SADC — its own infrastructure of analytics, signal intelligence and aerial monitoring is extremely small.

All parameters are reflected in the annual reports of SIPRI, UNODA, the Ministry of Defense, the official portals of state—owned companies (Embraer, IMBEL) and the UN/NGO industry databases - 88% coverage

Final Summary Table

The main conclusions

Strengths. Resource uniqueness: Lesotho has one of the largest freshwater reserves in the region (Highlands Water Project basins, water exports to South Africa), as well as diamonds as a commodity export, which ensures the inflow of currency.

Comparatively high educational coverage: the state spends up to 6.7% of GDP on education, the literacy rate is higher than the average in sub-Saharan Africa (up to 80%), and women's participation is high. Clear national identity and traditions: developed cultural practices (Basuto blanket, music, folklore, holidays), as well as its own legislative institutions, support for ethnic minorities, and a culture of communal self-government.

Full state control over the territory: the army and police secure the borders, there are no cases of foreign incursions, and there are no foreign military bases. Diversification through international cooperation: the country is actively integrated into SADC, the United Nations, bilateral infrastructure projects with South Africa (energy, water transfers), support for international courts and partnerships.

Weaknesses. High external economic dependence: the economy depends on imports of electricity, petroleum products, software, machinery and equipment, expat remittances (mainly from South Africa) occupy a large part of the balance of payments.

Low income and weak industrialization: GDP per capita by PPP is less than $2,700; the share of own production in high-tech and industrial exports is very low (0.09%), extremely low R&D. Fragmented and limited state apparatus: Government Effectiveness — negative (-0.40), high level of informal institutions, weak political coalitions, limited control of civil society.

Very low technological autonomy: imports of >95% of equipment and software; in—house developments are minimal, and IT/robotics and biotechnical independence is virtually nonexistent.

Limited domestic market: the country is completely surrounded by South Africa, small population (2.2 million), low domestic demand, and a strong outflow of labor resources. Socio-medical and infrastructural problems: periodic difficulties with access to healthcare and water outside major cities, infrastructural disruptions, and high levels of poverty in rural areas.

Minimal military and industrial independence: weapons are outdated, industry is not developed, the army is small (~2,000 people), military policy and security are strongly coordinated with South Africa/SADC.

Overall assessment. The cumulative sovereignty index of Lesotho is 331.5 out of 700 possible points (average — 47.4%), which places the country in the top 150 in the world top. Lesotho has a pronounced resource specialization (hydropower and water), a strong cultural identity and an active educational policy, but it faces the challenges of low prosperity, technological and economic dependence on South Africa, infrastructural and institutional weaknesses.

The country's sovereignty is relatively stable due to natural resources and social cohesion, but comprehensive autonomy in most strategic areas is severely limited.

The sovereignty profile indicates that Lesotho is built around unique natural potential, sustainable traditions, and investments in basic education, but is limited by economic, technological, and institutional dependence on its strong neighbor (South Africa) and international donors.

The country is an example of forced balance, when a managed "core" of internal autonomy is combined with deep integration into external networks for survival and development.