Welcome to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Cooperatives and Marketing (MTICM). Our mission is to be a leader in private sector job creation and poverty reduction and we will achieve this through the creation of an enabling environment for trade, investment, business, and industrial development.

As outlined in our MTICM draft strategic plan , there are key strategic drivers to our work and the provision of our services to the private sector. These are: employment creation; the cutting of red tape and development of an enabling environment to improve the ease of doing business in Lesotho; and a commitment to a liberal economic environment, macro-economic stability and to integrated markets to promote sustainable and equitable growth.

Our Services to the Private Sector

Our work supports the growth and competitiveness of the private sector, including manufacturing, small and micro-enterprises (SMEs), cooperatives and agriculture.

We support the textile and clothing industry to help improve its comparative advantage and to extend its access to new markets; we also encourage growth through product diversification in existing and developing manufacturing sectors of potential. SMEs, cooperatives and primarily Basotho owned enterprises are a major generator of employment in Lesotho and support to these businesses from the Ministry includes targeted business counselling, strengthening entrepreneurial skills and facilitating access to finance. Agriculture is also a vital sector for income and livelihoods. We work to support our Basotho farmers by facilitating the growth and competitiveness of small and micro-agricultural enterprises and cooperatives into commercially sustainable agricultural and agri-processing businesses.

Our Commitment to the Private Sector

We are committed to:

• Growing, commercially viable small and micro-enterprises (SMEs), co-operatives and informal enterprises.

• Expanding the industrial base through vertical and economic integration, investment, product and market diversification.

• Increasing and diversifying export-led growth, economic integration, market access and seizing the opportunities in the global economy.

• Increasing and strengthening Basotho entrepreneurial, managerial and technical skills.

• Promoting commercial agriculture through agricultural trade and market liberalization and growing and enhancing competitiveness of commercially sustainable agricultural and agro-processing enterprises and cooperatives.

• Promoting enterprise establishment and growth through a supportive and liberalized regulatory environment.

• Enhancing Ministry performance management for service delivery to clients.