Maseru, June 26 — A team of Basotho software developers has participated in the United Nations (UN) Open-Source Week 2026, held from June 22 to 26 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, in a move aimed at strengthening Lesotho’s digital transformation agenda.
Sharing the development on Friday, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation (MICSTI), Mr. Kanono Ramashamole, said Lesotho’s participation is significant as the ministry is among the co-hosts of this year’s global event.
Mr. Ramashamole said the event has brought together governments, technology experts, development partners, innovators and open-source communities from around the world to discuss digital innovation, digital public infrastructure and digital cooperation.
He pointed out that Lesotho’s role as a co-host marks an important milestone in the country’s digital transformation journey and demonstrates its growing contribution to global discussions on open-source technologies.
Basotho delegation is led by the Director General of ICT, Mr. Thapeli Tjabane, from MICSTI, while the participation is being implemented through a partnership between MICSTI and Vodacom Lesotho.
The Vodacom Lesotho team is led by Ms. Rorisang Motlomelo.
PS. Ramashamole said that the participating developers are mainly from the Vodacom Software Factory initiative, with one participant representing the UNDP STEAM programme.
He said this demonstrates the value of partnerships between government, the private sector and development partners in creating opportunities for young Basotho to gain international exposure.
Mr. Ramashamole said the participation is not merely symbolic but forms part of government’s efforts to expose local software developers to international best practices, global open-source communities and digital public infrastructure solutions that can support national development.
He added that one of the expected outcomes is the development of a national open-source policy and the establishment of a vibrant open-source community in Lesotho. He said this will create an enabling environment for developers, innovators, academic institutions, government and the private sector to work together in developing digital solutions that address national priorities.
He noted that open-source technologies offer countries such as Lesotho an opportunity to develop digital solutions in a collaborative, cost-effective and sustainable manner while allowing local developers to contribute to and learn from global technology communities.
Mr. Ramashamole further said the initiative supports the implementation of Lesotho’s National Digital Transformation Strategy, particularly in the areas of digital skills development, innovation, digital government, digital public infrastructure and youth participation in the digital economy.
He said by supporting Basotho developers to participate in global open-source platforms, MICSTI and its partners are investing in the human capital needed to drive the country’s digital future.
He also acknowledged Vodacom Lesotho’s contribution through the Software Factory initiative in developing software engineering skills, while noting that the inclusion of a participant from the UNDP STEAM programme reflects the importance of inclusive partnerships in expanding access to digital skills and innovation opportunities.
As UN Open-Source Week 2026 concluded on Friday, Mr. Ramashamole described the participation of Basotho software developers as an important step towards positioning Lesotho not only as a consumer of technology but also as an active contributor to open-source solutions, digital public goods and the global digital economy.
He said the collaboration between MICSTI, Vodacom Lesotho and development partners demonstrates what can be achieved through partnerships that combine practical skills development, private sector innovation, global cooperation and the deliberate building of national open-source capacity.
Ends/LENA
