Coronavirus Burundi updates, former President Domitien to run for president and more
Welcome in March, The briefing Issue #50, Monday, March 2, 2020
Dear RegionWeek Reader,
I would like to wish you a fruitful month of March, may you move closer to the fulfillment of all your 2020 first semester goals.
Coronavirus updates
This Monday, March 2, China Ambassador to Burundi Li Changlin held a press briefing to share updates on Coronavirus outbreak where he announced that in recent days, the Chinese have witnessed a decrease in new cases of Coronavirus not only in Wuhan but also in the rest of the country.
Last Sunday a post on social media created panic in Bujumbura, announcing that "A student from China has just been detected carrying the Coronavirus virus in Burundi" it was widely shared on social media, showing a photo-edited page of French media.
Moments later, Jean-Bosco Girukwishaka, spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Health denied the information”
“No case of Coronavirus has been recorded in Burundi, reassured Sunday the Ministry of Public Health”
Speaking to Anadolu Agency Mr. Girukwishaka said that the population should remain calm and follow the measures taken by the Ministry of Health" adding that only the Government is authorized to give information on this virus.
The spokesman for the Ministry of Health said that anyone from China was tested at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport and kept under surveillance at their home.
2020 Elections
The former President of the Republic of Burundi Domitien Ndayize is nominated as the presidential candidate of May 20, 2020 Elections, by the Kira Burundi coalition, composed of 3 political parties including (RANAC, PAJUDE, FEDES_SANGIRA).
Aloys Baricako president of the coalition justified their choice of Domitien Ndayizeye as a Candidate by his integrity, Management skills, and Political experience.
For Domitien Ndayizeye, if elected he will focus on the fight against unemployment, improving agriculture by revising the land distribution policy, guaranteeing public freedoms and improving the national education system.
In an exclusive interview with Iwacu done in February 2020, when former president Domitien Ndayizeye was asked if he plans to run for President, he replied that to run for president was the least his concerns.
“I will not be the candidate, neither of RANAC nor of CNARED, which has never commissioned me for this. This is what I clarified to an online media journalist who spread the word about my possible presidential candidacy on behalf of CNARED. I feel old now for the exercise of power and at my age, should I rather think of my exit from this world ” he added
In 2010 elections the former transition president withdrew his candidacy, accusing the CENI (electoral commission) of electoral fraud.
During the Weekend
Last Friday, the World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved two grants for a total of $160 million from the International Development Association (IDA) to help improve essential services through solar power and local development in rural and remote areas of Burundi.
The Solar Energy in Local Communities (SOLEIL) or “Nyakiriza” in Kirundi (“enlighten me”)project amounting to $100 million IDA grant will almost double the rate of electricity access in the country by expanding access to rural families, local enterprises, schools and health centers in some of the poorest areas of the country, thereby improving the livelihood and well-being of people.
The Integrated Community Development or “Turikumwe” in Kirundi (“we are together”)project amounting to $60 million IDA grant will help improve nutrition, access to basic services and economic opportunities for the most vulnerable populations in the poorest part of the country, including refugee communities and displaced Burundians recently relocated in regions targeted by the project.
Through these projects, we will help improve the livelihood of Burundians living in rural areas and strengthen human capital,” said World Bank Country Director, Jean-Christophe Carret.
“It will help build small infrastructures such as schools, health centers and roads as a lifeline for rural communities, improve nutrition and expand access to solar electricity,” he added
Fabrice Iranzi
The Founding Editor, RegionWeek
IN THE REGION
Tanzania's Foreign Affairs Minister Palamagamba Kabudi today, Monday
March 2, 2020, said that Tanzania is expecting to host the ministerial council of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) between March 16 and March 17, 2019.
The meeting will be the last to be hosted by Tanzania as Sadc chair before the country handovers the chairmanship to Mozambique during the community summit which will be held later in August in Maputo, Mozambique. The meeting will be attended by the ministers of finance and planning; commerce and trade; and foreign affairs ministers from the 16 member countries of SADC."The meeting will be preceded by the meeting by Permanent Secretaries and other senior officers from the respective miniseries," said Prof Kabudi. (The Citizen)
The Personal Representative of the German Chancellor for Africa, Mr. Guenter Nooke who was on a working visit to Tanzania, on Friday held bilateral talks with EAC Secretary General Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha. The two leaders discussed development cooperation between the Federal Republic of Germany and the EAC on matters relating to regional economic integration, with particular focus on Health and Agriculture, as well as Customs and Trade sectors. During the discussions, Amb Mfumukeko said the EAC and Germany have enjoyed a long-standing partnership for the last 20 years, with commitments from the German Government amounting over Euros 470 million.
The EAC Secretary-General has requested Germany, through Mr. Nooke, to consider more support in Agriculture, Industrial development especially Agro-processing, and ICT sectors as part of institutional transformation in addition to the areas that the Federal Republic is currently supporting. (EAC)
An online business networking platform aimed at connecting 50 million women entrepreneurs across Africa has been launched. The 50 Million African Women Speak Platform (50MAWSP) is an initiative of three regional economic communities supported by the African Development Bank.
The inaugural national launch was conducted in Zambia, on Friday, 28 February 2020 and will be rolled out in 38 countries that are members of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The Platform was developed to empower women in Africa by enabling them to access real-time information on financial and non-financial services through handheld communication mobile devices. (Comesa)
We covered in our daily briefings a range of topics that are of interest to Burundi and East Africa because, with the proliferation of information, we believe that the importance of filtering information has never been more important.
We understand that it is exceptionally difficult for business leaders and highly productive Professionals to stay current on all important news. We filter the news, to bring to you concise information about game-changing events and insights.
We compiled all the key briefings of February in One document (PDF), updated with all the developments that occurred after we published the daily briefing, we sell it at $5, if you want to receive of RegionWeek February Briefings a copy click here, we will send it to you.
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