Chapter four: Economic governance and management departments should adhere to agreed standards to maintain complete and timely records and present them for auditing by the OAG. This should be done in the context of ongoing public sector management reforms, namely the PSIRP and the MTEF. (Parliament, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and Correctional Services) • Though Lesotho has established oversight institutions to combat corruption, these institutions be strengthened to effectively play their role. In particular, the country should ensure the independence of key oversight institutions – the PAC, the DCEO and the OAG. They should be given the necessary human and financial resources as well as the freedom to recruit staff to carry out their responsibilities. (Parliament, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and Correctional Services) • The public should be involved in the fight against corruption and money laundering through educational programmes and continuous awareness campaigns. (Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology) Objective 5: Accelerate regional integration by harmonising monetary, trade and investment policy 130 i. Summary of the CSAR 470. Lesotho is a member of several regional economic cooperation units – the AU, the SADC, SACU and the CMA. It also participates in NEPAD and the World Trade Organization (WTO). 471. The CSAR states that Lesotho is doing well in implementing the agreements it has signed. The report identifies the gains from regional integration arrangements. These include increased volume of trade, increased job opportunities and increased availability of consumer and capital goods, among others. However, membership of regional integration schemes carries its own challenges. Membership of the CMA, for example, poses the challenge of synchronising monetary and fiscal policies. As a member of that body, Lesotho cannot conduct an independent exchange rate policy. Its control over monetary policy is also limited. Notwithstanding these challenges, both the government and the people believe that the institutional arrangements confer significant advantages in facilitating trade, investment and cross-border activities like tourism. 472. It should also be noted that Lesotho has worked diligently towards harmonising regulatory policies (including policies in respect of intra-African trade and investment promotion) and ensuring that they are consistent with, and supportive of, regional economic integration objectives. The aim of the harmonisation project is to make it easier for the inflow and outflow of capital, investment, the promotion of free trade in goods and services, and the maintenance of international trade standards. 473. Lesotho’s trade and trade-related policies are mainly the responsibility of the MTICM, but other ministries and agencies – like the MoFDP, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MoAFS) and the CBL – are all heavily involved in trade-related policy making. The institutional setup for promoting trade has been further improved by establishing several bodies like the LRA and LNDC. In order to facilitate regular consultation,