69% target hit: 42 239 youth employed since unemployment emergency declaration

MOSA MAOENG

MASERU – Just under one year since the government declared youth unemployment a national state of emergency, the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development has released a progress report showing significant headway – 42 239 young Basotho have been engaged in employment, representing a 69 percent achievement of the initial target.

According to the report issued on May 27, the government had initially pledged to secure employment for 62 264 youth. With 42 239 now placed, only 20 025 remain unemployed – a figure that, while still substantial, signals measurable progress since the landmark declaration.

Prime Minister Ntsokoane Matekane first announced the classification of youth unemployment as a national disaster on June 18, 2025, during his address at the National Youth Dialogue held at the ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre. The declaration followed mounting pressure from youth coalitions and was based on the formal advice of the cabinet and the Disaster Management Authority (DMA).

At the time, recent labour statistics placed Lesotho’s broad unemployment rate at30.1 percent, with youth unemployment soaring to a critical 39 percent. The state of disaster was legally formalised on July 7, 2025, under Legal Notice No 102 of 2025, signed by then Acting Prime Minister Nthomeng Majara.

It remains in effect until June 30, 2027.

While the latest figures have been welcomed as a sign of government commitment, youth advocates caution that the quality and sustainability of the jobs created remain a major concern.

Tumelo Moteuli, a member of the Youth Dialogues Initiative, acknowledged the government’s efforts in an interview this week. “We appreciate and acknowledge government for creating employment for young people – something we have been fighting for, for so long,” he said.

However, Moteuli was quick to highlight structural weaknesses in the approach.

“We have discovered that the private sector is still under the public sector in terms of employment. Much of the employment created is temporary.”

He argued that young people need meaningful, sustainable work, not short-term placements.

“The government speaks of a private sector-led economy, but as per the report issued by the ministry, we do not see that. The public sector still dominates.”

Moteuli also criticised the M124.3 million allocated to the ministry for the 2026/27 fiscal year to fight unemployment, describing it as insufficient for a crisis of this magnitude.

“That budget does not address the state of disaster. It does not even accommodate one percent of the crisis,” he said.

He noted that of the 42 239 youth reportedly engaged, more than half are in temporary positions. Over 1 479 are enrolled in the youth apprenticeship programme, which he described as a stopgap rather than a solution.

“The employment report shows young people who were engaged since the declaration, but it does not give a true reflection of sustained employment,” Moteuli added.

The report provides a breakdown of performance across ministries, measured against their individual employment targets. The Ministry of Energy led with 205 percent achievement, followed by Education (178 percent) and Defence (110 percent). Agriculture reached 100 percent, while Trade (92 percent) and the Office of the Prime Minister (92 percent) also performed strongly. Other ministries lagged significantly, including Communications (10 percent) and Tourism (1 percent).

In absolute numbers, the Ministry of Trade was the highest contributor, engaging 19 938 youth – 46 percent of the national total. The report also noted that 350 youth businesses have been registered for free during this period.

Presenting the 2026/27 budget on February 18, finance and development planning minister, Dr Retšelisitsoe Matlanyane, defended the government’s approach, arguing that the emergency declaration was never symbolic.

“It was recognition that we cannot build a stable future while our most energetic asset, our youth, remains on the sidelines,” she said.

Matlanyane outlined several ongoing initiatives, including the Power Hub Initiative, established in collaboration with development partners.

The programme seeks to create dedicated youth innovation centres in every district, starting with Berea and Quthing in 2026/27.

These hubs will offer market-aligned training in digital coding, agro-processing, and high-end textiles under the ITC Ethical Fashion Initiative.

In addition, the National Volunteer Corps (NVC) has been scaled up to bridge the “no job without experience” gap. For the 2026/27 financial year, the budget allows for an additional 2 500 placements for unemployed graduates. A host-partner incentive has also been introduced, under which the government subsidises 50 percent of the stipend for any private firm that hosts an NVC volunteer for at least 12 months, with a pathway to permanent employment.

While the 69 percent achievement marks tangible progress, youth leaders like Moteuli insist that the true test lies in whether employment is sustainable and private-sector driven.

“The government needs to create an enabling environment for youth, invest in untapped spaces like sports and talent, and export that talent to other countries,” he said.

With the state of disaster set to expire in mid-2027, and over 20 000 youth still jobless, the coming fiscal year will determine whether Lesotho’s emergency response translates into long-term economic transformation – or merely temporary relief.