The Director of the Housing Department in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftainship, Ms. Mamphaka Mabesa says she is looking forward to working together with the stakeholders to make Urban Monitoring Framework (UMF) a success.

She said this when officially closing a three-day workshop on data for the localization of UMF indicators.

She urged the Ministry of Development Planning to guide the relevant ministries to align their mandates with the SDGs in order to achieve a common goal.

She expressed gratitude to everyone who participated in the workshop saying indeed the workshop was fruitful.

She thanked UN-Habitat for their technical and financial support adding that this project would not be a success without them.

Also Speaking, the Consultant Ms. Mantai Seeko also expressed her appreciation to UN-Habitat, saying the project will benefit the coming generations.

She noted that collaborative effort is needed to create the Lesotho we want, saying all government ministries should work together.

On the same token, the Housing Department officer, Mrs. Mamorapeli Bookholane said SDG 11 reads as a commitment to ensure access for all to adequate, safe, affordable housing and basic services as well as to upgrade slums and enhance inclusive participation in planning and managing human settlements.

She further noted that New Urban Agenda is defined as an action-oriented policy that promotes sustainable urban development of cities and human settlements with emphasis on inclusive participation by all urban actors and society.

She said the key points are sustainable and inclusive urban prosperity and opportunity for all, environmentally sustainable and resilient urban development, sustainable urban development for social inclusion and ending poverty and building the urban governance structure.

All the relevant ministries were given a chance to present available data for Maseru city using Urban Monitoring Framework and they discussed the challenges and way forward.

These relevant ministries are local Government and chieftainship, labour and employment, development planning, education and training, trade and industry, home affairs, police and of agric.