China-funded road project facilitates economic development in Lesotho

The Ha Mpiti-Sehlabathebe Road, one of the key projects of the China-Lesotho cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, has entered its final stages of construction.

Nestled in the southeastern part of Africa, Lesotho is known as the "Kingdom in the Sky" with high mountains and narrow valleys.

In 2019, Lesotho signed a memorandum of understanding with China to jointly develop the Belt and Road Initiative, and the road is an important project in this collaboration. Located in the Qacha's Nek District in the country's eastern part, the road spans 91.48 kilometers and aims to transform the existing gravel mountain roads into high-quality asphalt ones.

"On this mountainous terrain in Lesotho, the roads are rugged and winding. Moreover, our supplies are procured from over 800 kilometers away, posing significant challenges for material transportation," said Zhang Jingbo, project manager of the project.

Meanwhile, the construction of the road faced tremendous difficulties due to its highest altitude exceeding 2,600 meters.

"It's been a very challenging project. Obviously, the terrain is difficult. It's mountainous terrain. We've had a lot of challenges with design issues and also changing designs," said Gary Swart, resident engineer of the project.

The road has transformed the previously bumpy and uneven paths into a 9-meter-wide two-lane asphalt road in both directions, which will significantly reduce travel time for nearby residents.

"Before it was constructed, it was not easy for these business cars, like we can talk about the taxis and the buses, it would take you maybe from town to Ha-Mahlali (one of the local villages), it would take about two hours to travel here, but since it was constructed, it now takes just 20 minutes from town to Ha-Mahlali," said Hlonelang Masupha, a villager.

The road connects to the Sehlabathebe National Park, a World Heritage Site in Lesotho, and the opening of the project will greatly boost the development of accommodation, dining, and transportation industries in the surrounding areas.

"These projects play a crucial role in Lesotho's economic and social development and improvement of people's livelihoods. They are highly welcomed by the Lesotho government and people, reflecting the profound friendship between the people of China and Lesotho," said Lei Kezhong, Chinese Ambassador to Lesotho.

China-funded road project facilitates economic development in Lesotho

China-funded road project facilitates economic development in Lesotho

The depreciation of Japanese yen has caused an old coffee shop in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture of Japan to suffer rising financial strain due to surging import costs.

The coffee shop, with a 50-year history, is facing fund squeeze. The owner, 82-year-olld Hajime Yoneyama said that the depreciation has led to increased prices for imported raw materials, particularly coffee beans sourced mainly from Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia, resulting in a 20 percent surge in purchase costs.

"The purchase price (of coffee beans) has increased by 20 percent. I feel that the prices of vegetables and oil have also increased by at least 20 percent. Now the prices of these things continue to rise, with no sign of stopping. The expenditure situation of the store may become more severe in the future," said him.

Yoneyama said that he had to raise the prices to sustain the coffee shop's operation.

"Recently we had to raise the price. Previously, a cup of coffee cost 500 yen. It's no longer sustainable (without price increases) and now it's up to 600 yen," said the owner.

Furthermore, in an effort to cut costs, the elderly Yoneyama works with just one employee, yet the store business kept crippling. He said that a significant portion of his pension funds is used to cover store expenses and employee wages.

Locals worry that if the weak yen trend persists, the pressure on livelihoods will further intensify.

"The prices of everything are increasing, food, drink, vegetables. It would be great if there was a solution. Medical supplies are also an issue that needs to be considered. I do worry about what the future will bring," said a local resident.

"Not only are labor costs rising, but gas costs are also rising, so operators need to cut expenses, such as advertising expenses, and the work that they originally paid to hire people to do may now be borne entirely by the operators themselves," said another resident.

Japan’s time-honored coffee shop face fund squeeze due to weakening yen