Trump’s largest price was on the little Lesotho. Here’s what you need to know about the African kingdom. Blogging Sole

Maseru, Lesotho – President Trump in March described the Lesotho as a place “no one has ever heard”, then this week, he struck the little African kingdom with the highest of his “reciprocal” price for any unique nation.

Trump’s so-called “Liberation Day” price Included a huge 50% levy on imports from the poor nation, and the Government of Lesotho quickly declared that it would send a delegation to Washington.

“We have to be urgent to the United States to get involved with its leaders and plead our case,” Trade Minister Mokhethi Shelile said on Thursday. “My biggest concern was the immediate closure of factories and job losses.”

The annual gross domestic product of $ 2 billion in Lesotho depends strongly on exports, mainly textiles, including jeans.

“There are 11 factories in the country, most of which export goods to the United States and provide employment to 12,000 workers,” said Shelile. “The goods currently in production will be assigned by these prices and will not be exported to the United States”

He said he had asked factories to continue to operate “while we are working on solutions” and added that American action showed that his country should “diversify” his trade relations, that he said that she had already started to explore.

“We cannot count solely on the United States,” he said. “Although this transition takes time, the process is already underway.”

To determine the rates of its new prices, the White House used a formula to calculate the sum of all the commercial practices which it considers unfair to other nations, in particular the manipulation of currencies, prices and other obstacles. Economists have questioned the methodology, and many Foreign governments have complained The samples are unfair and distort their commercial imbalances with the United States

The White House claims, through this formula, that Lesotho imposes 99% of prices and other obstacles to American imports.

You will find below a look at the small kingdom, sometimes called “Switzerland of Africa” ​​thanks to its mountainous landscape. It took a larger price of the White House this week than any other country.

Where is the Lesotho?

Completely surrounded by South Africa, the Lesotho is the largest of the three landlocked states in the world, but it is much larger than the city of San Marino or the Vatican, which are both in the borders of Italy.

About 11,720 square miles, it is about the same size as Belgium but has a population of around 2.3 million, against nearly 12 million Belgium.

Lesotho is known for the beauty of its mountainous terrain and makes styles the “kingdom in the sky”.

More than 80% of the country is 5,900 feet above sea level and shelters the only ski resort in southern Africa. Its highest peak is Mount Thabana Ntlenyana, with an altitude of 11,424 feet.

A constitutional monarchy like Great Britain, it is headed by the 61-year-old King Letsie III, who has no formal power. The government is led by a Prime Minister selected through national parliamentary elections.

What does the Lesotho economy look like?

With an annual gross domestic product of just over $ 2 billion, Lesotho depends largely on South Africa – its largest trading partner – from which most of its food, selling water in return.

The economy depends strongly on textile exports for the United States through the Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade agreement, which offers franchise access to the US market for certain African products. The taxation of prices by the Trump administration on African nations has raised questions about the probability that the White House is likely to renew the AGOA pact at its expiration in September.

Its traditional Basotho covers are a national symbol and renowned for their dynamic patterns and their wool heat. They are often responsible for meaning, the celebration of life and nationality, to fertility and royalty, to peace, to love and to courage.

The Lesotho ranks among the poorest countries in the world despite huge mineral reserves. British Mines Society Gem Diamonds said in 2018 that it had discovered a 910 carat stone in one of its many Diamonds Desotho mines.

The country has also launched the growth of cannabis for medical use in Africa.

Unemployment has remained stubbornly, reaching almost 25% in 2023, according to The World Bank.

“Poverty and inequalities remain significant challenges,” explains the World Bank. “Despite the efforts to improve the standard of living, a large part of the population of Lesotho lives below the poverty line, the rural areas being particularly affected. Access to basic services such as health care, education and clean water remains limited, contributing to poor results for health and health success.

A link with Prince Harry through charity, until recently

A charitable organization co-founded by Prince Harry in Lesotho to help people living with HIV encountered turbulence this month after a bitter in the conference room led the younger son of King Charles III boss.

Its president born in Zimbabwe, Sophie Chandauka, publicly accused the prince of “intimidation” And being involved in a “concealment”, accusations that the former Royal rejected as lies.

Harry founded the charity in 2006 with Prince Seeiso du Lesotho, before he extended to Botswana.

The name of the charity, Sentebale, is a tribute to her mother, Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car accident in 1997 when he was only 12 years old.

Lesotho’s struggle with HIV / AIDS

At least one in four adults in Lesotho is infected with HIV, one of the highest rates in the world.

According to the World Health Organization.

In 2020, the country reached the “90-90-90” objective of the UN of 90% of people with diagnosed virus, on treatment and viral suppression.

The country also has the second highest impact of tuberculosis in the world, estimated at 724 cases per 100,000 people.