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At 7 p.m. (Bejing time), August 25th, 2020, a donation of 100,000 facemasks by the United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries (UNTBLDC) and World Eco-Design Conference(WEDC) has been handed to frontline workers in the Kingdom of Lesotho in an effort to urgently protect key workers, such as medics, police and boarder control staff from COVID-19.
The masks donated by UNTBLDC and WEDC was sponsored by the operation team of Eco-Design Town-Industry Platform of WEDC and produced by Cabbeen Apparel , an enterprise settling down in Town. Under the strong support of People’s Government of Conghua District, the masks has been successfully delivered to the Kingdom of Lesotho and handed over to the local government by the UN Resident Coordinator in Lesotho, Mr.Salvator Niyonzima.
“COVID-19 is a global pandemic severely impacting every community and requiring action from each individual. In Lesotho we are proud of those serving on the frontline to help protect communities,” said Hon Mathibeli Mokhothu, Deputy Prime Minister. “Today’s generous donation will help these individuals continue their work, with increased protection, whilst we scale up manufacturing in-country.”
The World Health Organisation recommends the use of facemasks as an essential preventative and mitigation measure against COVID-19. Lesotho was the last country to record a case of COVID-19 in the African continent. Plans to scale up local manufacturing in the Kingdom are currently underway, but in the meantime the demand for protective gear persists.
“This donation will go a long way in ensuring that our front-line workers on whom we all depend, work under the safest conditions, as they continue to step directly into COVID-19’s path to support the afflicted and help curb the spread of the virus,” Said Thabo Khasipe, CEO, NACOSEC.
The United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries is a subsidiary body of the United Nations General Assembly. It dedicates to strengthening the contribution of science, technology, and innovation to the sustainable development of some of the world’s least developed countries. Currently, it is helping countries such as Lesotho develop local manufacturing and improve the level of medical technology through its “Tech Access Partnership”.
In June 2020, the United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries established partnership with World Eco-Design Conference and set up Eco-Design Promotion Center. The Center dedicates to address the need in industrial design of the least developed countries, and support their development by enhancing competitiveness through intellectual property support, training, and South-South cooperation.
“The provision of these masks is a great step towards mee ting the immediate health needs of the people of Lesotho. The UN Technology Bank is committed to forming partnerships that can respond quickly and efficiently to COVID-19, ensuring strong and sustainable health systems,” said Joshua Setipa, Managing Director of the UN Technology Bank “Local production of health technologies remains vital to fighting COVID19, as well as for the Post-COVID-19 recovery.”
“WEDC aims to promote integration of design, ecology, and society as well as sustainable development worldwide, including in developing and least developed countries. The United Nations Technology Bank, World Eco-Design Conference and Lesotho Government have joined hands to fight the pandemic. This PPE equipment will serve to provide relief to where it is critically needed in Lesotho. It is my sincere hope that the government of Lesotho will defeat this pandemic soon", said Mr. Ying Fangtian, President of the Organizing Committee of World Eco-Design Conference.”
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