Diplomacy: Burundi and the European Union shift gears
RegionWeek Newsletter Vol IV, Issue #171 | Wednesday, May 5, 2021
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Dear Readers,
As part of the process to warm diplomatic relations between Burundi and the European Union and its member states, at the invitation of the European Union, the Burundi Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Amb. Albert Nshingiro, began on April 23, 2021 a tour in Europe, and had work sessions in Brussels, Paris, Geneva and Bern according to a communiqué by the Burundi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Sanctions against Burundi at the heart of the discussions in Belgium
The delegation led by Amb. Albert Nshingiro started its diplomatic tour in Belgium at the Office of the Commission of the European Union. Minister Shingiro met with the secretary general of the European services for external relations, to the European Union commission, Mr. Stefano Sannino, they discussed the lifting of sanctions which had been taken by the European Union against Burundi.
On the sidelines of this visit, Amb. Shingiro met André Flahaut, Belgian Minister of State and an Honorary President of the Chamber representatives in the Belgian federal parliament. He briefed him on the evolution of the situation in Burundi.
According to Bloomberg, the EU froze 432 million euro ($514 million) of funding and Belgium blocked disbursement of 60 million euro to Burundi. The Burundian government and the EU have relaunched political dialogue with a view to resuming cooperation after a nearly five-year suspension. Before the suspension of EU aid to Burundi, EU member states contributed almost 50 percent of Bujumbura’s annual budget.
BIG PICTURE : The United Nations Security Council recently struck Burundi off its political agenda citing peaceful elections conducted in 2020. In a statement presented by South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, the 15-member body said the broadly peaceful elections had marked a new phase for Burundi. This development means Burundi is close to ending nearly six years of international isolation.
No international organization should maintain sanctions against Burundi
Amb. Albert Shingiro, met the new Secretary of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), Mr. Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikotti, they discussed the post Cotonou agreements, recently signed by the chief negotiators of the Caribbean and Pacific and Pacific States of Africa and the European Union.
They exchanged information about the Georgetown Agreement, the reform of the ACP States Organisation as well as the lifting of sanctions against Burundi by the European Union. The secretary of the ACP affirmed his support to the State of Burundi in the request for lifting sanctions.
He said that no international organization should maintain sanctions against Burundi, given the remarkable progress made.
WHY IT MATTERS: On 29 October 2020, the Council of the European Union extended for an additional year the sanctions regime against Burundian officials. Four individuals are under restrictive measures until October 2021 for “their actions undermining democracy or obstructing the search for a political solution to the crisis in Burundi”. The Council of the European Union’s decision to extend the sanctions regime came shortly after the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution renewing the mandate of its Commission of Inquiry on Burundi for another year.
Business talk in France
In France Amb. Nshingiro got the opportunity to meet Jean Baptiste Lemoyne, State Secretary in charge of Tourism and Frank Paris special advisor to President Emmanuel Macron for Africa, their discussions focused on the lifting of sanctions, and relations between EU Member States and Burundi in light of mutual commitments taken under the joint Burundi-EU Roadmap this month.
They also touched on subjects such as promoting good governance, improving the business climate, and respect for human rights in Burundi, and the situation in the Great Lakes region.It was also an opportunity to discuss bilateral cooperation on education and health, thanks to the efforts of the French Development Agency in Burundi.
Minister Nshingiro met with European Investors, in line with Burundi Government’s efforts to boost economic diplomacy. Amb. Shingiro met the president of the Francophone Business Forum, Mr. Steve Gentilli, they discussed several business opportunities that exist in Burundi, such as the exploitation of Lake Tanganyika,infrastructure development, the development of the finance sector to be materialized by the opening of European banks in Burundi and Mining Projects through the signing of mutually beneficial agreements.
Economic relations between France and Burundi remain modest: Burundi is France’s 168th largest trading partner, with total trade estimated at €13.2 million in 2018. About 10 French companies are present in Burundi. Sogea-Satom (public works/construction, infrastructure) is the main one, along with SDV to a lesser degree (Bolloré Group) and AGS Movers. Most of the niches presenting opportunities for French companies (agriculture, hydropower, infrastructure, tourism), undergoing reorganization since 2006, were strongly damaged following the political crisis.
Switzerland insists on Human Rights
In Switzerland Amb. Albert Nshingiro met the head of Swiss diplomacy Ignazio Cassis, they discussed on how to strengthen friendly relations and bilateral cooperation. At the end of their discussions, there was a convergence of views and a shared desire to further warm up bilateral ties between the two countries.
Switzerland’s foreign minister, Ignazio Cassis, called on Burundi to implement concrete human rights reforms. Mr. Cassis noted the good cooperation between the two countries while also reaffirming Switzerland’s willingness to support Burundi in the area of human rights.
During his visit to the Swiss capital , Shingiro also met senior officials from the foreign ministry responsible for the Africa and human rights divisions as well as the director-general of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
Switzerland has a long-standing commitment to peace and sustainable development in Burundi, the ministry said, with ongoing support for projects that promote vocational training, improvements in health and governance, conflict prevention and fighting violence against women. Switzerland has chaired the Burundi Configuration of the UN Peacebuilding Commission since 2009 and advocates for support for the country from the international community. Sub-Saharan Africa is a priority region for the government’s current International Cooperation Strategy.
The Bottom Line
At the end of his tour, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation invited his interlocutors to pay a visit to Burundi, on a date which will be communicated through diplomatic channels. The mission led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development cooperation in Europe resulted in a convergence of points of view with the partners of Burundi on the lifting of the sanctions taken against Burundi, as well as the warming of the relations of friendship and cooperation between Burundi and its European partners. Burundian officials believe that sanctions against should be lifted before the end of 2021.
Thanks for reading!
Fabrice Iranzi, Editor in Chief | RegionWeek.com
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