The once-vibrant textile factories in Maseru, Lesotho, now stand eerily silent, their hundreds of sewing machines still, spools of thread gathering dust, and vast warehouses dark and empty. This sudden halt in production, a critical component of Lesotho’s economy, is the direct consequence of unforeseen and impactful tariffs imposed by the United States, casting a shadow of uncertainty over the nation’s economic future.
In April, the Trump administration announced sweeping new tariffs on various U.S. trading partners, yet Lesotho found itself inexplicably at the top of the list with a staggering 50% rate. This figure even surpassed the tariffs applied to China, an economy eight thousand times larger, leaving officials in Lesotho and global economic experts baffled by the disproportionate measure and its potential long-term economic impact.
Rahila Omar, a factory compliance manager, walks through the desolate facility, highlighting the grim irony of the situation. “Well, unfortunately, we finished,” she states, pointing to the silent rows of covered machinery. Her words underscore the immediate and devastating effect of these tariffs, which have abruptly terminated operations and led to widespread job losses throughout the country’s once-thriving textile industry.
Omar is now among the very few employees remaining in the unsettlingly quiet factory. A handful still work in the accounting department, while others oversee the transfer of residual stock to alternative storage facilities. The stark emptiness serves as a powerful testament to the rapid decline of an industry that was a primary source of employment and economic stability for many in Lesotho.
The relationship between Lesotho and Washington extends back decades, far beyond recent trade disputes. The United States was the first nation to establish an embassy in Maseru after Lesotho gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1966, marking a long-standing diplomatic and economic partnership.
Historically, the U.S. has played a significant role in Lesotho’s development, providing military training and dispatching hundreds of millions in U.S. funds to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic through programs like the now-defunct USAID office and the PEPFAR initiative, underscoring a complex history of aid and international trade relations.
Despite this historical context, the Trump administration asserted that Lesotho levies a 99% tariff on U.S. goods, a claim the government of Lesotho vehemently denies and struggles to reconcile with its own records. This critical discrepancy in tariff calculations remains a central point of contention in the escalating trade dispute.
The profound disruption to Lesotho’s textile industry not only highlights the immediate economic impact on the nation but also raises broader questions about the vulnerability of smaller economies to sudden shifts in global international trade policies and the need for clear, equitable frameworks to prevent such widespread job losses.
