A change of direction this month - off to Lesotho to lok at private sector development there. It's a great opportunity to do something new, and it's nice to go somewhere where they drive on the left and give you milk with your tea (and understand an English sense of humour).

It's surprising how similar the problems are as well, even in a country which is very poor and where more than a quarter of the population are HIV positive. Weakness of the voice of business (and business associations), unnecessary regulatory bottlenecks, difficulties cometing against cheap imports - they're all aspects of life everywhere. Let's hope technical assistance from the EU can be put to good use: certainly this is a place where it could have an effect.