The U.S. tariff regime is unfair to developing countries such as Lesotho and has severely impacted the country’s textile industry, a senior government official has said.
Mokhethi Shelile, Lesotho’s Minister of Trade, Industry, Business Development, and Tourism, noted that the United States has failed to factor in services such as Microsoft licenses, which Lesotho pays millions of dollars for each year. He also pointed out that some U.S. goods entering Lesotho via South Africa are often excluded from official import data.
Shelile criticized U.S. tariff policies for focusing heavily on goods while ignoring services, despite the U.S. being a largely service-based economy.
Lesotho, one of the United Nations’ least developed countries, is among Africa’s leading garment exporters to the United States. The textile industry plays a critical role in Lesotho’s economy and formal employment, providing an estimated 40,000 jobs, according to the International Organization of Employers.
Shelile warned that continued layoffs resulting from the tariffs could ripple across other sectors such as transport and real estate, threatening social stability.
Last month, Lesotho declared a national state of disaster due to high youth unemployment and widespread job losses linked to the recent U.S. tariff hikes. Reports indicate that the youth unemployment rate has reached 48 percent.
Shelile further argued that the United States’ unilateral and discriminatory tariffs disrupt global supply chains and push African countries to negotiate collectively rather than individually.
In response, Lesotho is taking steps to diversify its export markets. The country is deepening trade ties with South Africa, leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area, and exploring partnerships with China, Nigeria, the European Union, and other global economies.
Shelile said Lesotho has formally requested a waiver or reduction of the U.S. tariffs. However, since the U.S. prefers to engage with sub-Saharan African nations (excluding South Africa) as a single bloc, current negotiations can only take place indirectly.
“We are making every effort to safeguard our national interests, but the future direction of the U.S. tariff policy remains uncertain,” he said.
Shelile expressed optimism that with export diversification and stronger regional cooperation, Lesotho could overcome its current challenges and return to a growth trajectory by next year.
