Construction work has started on a China funded highway project in Lesotho. Last week Lesotho's Prime Minister Tom Thabane was on hand to operate an excavator in a sod turning ceremony for the 91 kilometre road running from Mpiti to Sehlaba-Thebe.

Thabane said that the project, which is being financed by a concessional loan from China, is a symbol of the strong friendship between Lesotho and China.

Also present was Song Changqing, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Lesotho, who said the project is one of the achievements of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Johannesburg summit. In the past three years, the China-Lesotho relationship has developed rapidly, he said.

Total project cost is estimated at US$128 million, with China providing a US$100 million loan. The road, which runs parallel to the Drakensburg mountain range, is being upgraded from gravel to asphalt road. The construction timeframe is estimated at 36 months.

When completed, driving time from Mpiti to Sehlaba Thebe will be shortened from 4 hours to 1 to 1.5 hours. This will help promote the transport of goods, as well as boost the tourism industry, since the road connects with world heritage site Sehlaba Thebe National Park.