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Eight bilateral cooperation memoranda of understanding between Burundi and Tanzania were signed

ByWebmaster

Jul 19, 2021

BUJUMBURA July 19th (ABP) – The Burundian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Ambassador Albert Shingiro and the Tanzanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Libérata Mulamula, released a joint communiqué on Friday July 16. It was on the occasion of the State visit to Burundi by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Mrs. Samia Suluhu Hassan, from July 16 to 17, 2021.

In that communiqué read by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, it is specified that at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Burundi, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania paid, from July 16 to 17, 2021, a State visit to Burundi. She headed a high-level delegation comprising ministers and other senior government officials from the United Republic of Tanzania.

Mrs. Hassan expressed her gratitude for the warm welcome extended to her and her delegation during her first and historic State visit to Burundi, the communiqué said. Indeed, according to that communiqué, the two leaders reaffirmed their common commitment to strengthen the spirit of solidarity and cooperation in various sectors of common interest between the two governments and their respective peoples. During her State visit, the Tanzanian President visited the company FOMI (Organo-Mineral Fertilizers Industries) and the Tanzanian Bank CRDB on Friday July 16.

Mrs. Hassan acknowledged the great achievements made by Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye to consolidate peace, stability and self-confidence. She also praised his tireless efforts in favor of economic recovery, national reconciliation, the promotion of the rule of law, democracy, and good governance in the country. She further congratulated Burundi for the important role it plays in promoting peace and security in the region and its contribution to UN and AU peacekeeping operations by sending thousands of soldiers in Somalia and the Central African Republic.

As for President Ndayishimiye, he expressed his gratitude to the United Republic of Tanzania for having welcomed Burundian refugees from 1972 until today and for the flawless solidarity that has been shown to them over the years.

The two Heads of State were delighted with the ongoing voluntary return of many Burundian refugees to their country to benefit from the dividends of peace, security, stability and reconciliation in Burundi. They also welcomed the 6th session of the Joint Standing Cooperation Commission (CPCC) between Burundi and Tanzania held in Kigoma, Tanzania, from March 3 to 5, 2021, which resulted in the outlines of a framework for bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the areas of trade and investment, agriculture, education, health, justice, defense and security, development as well as political and diplomatic and consultations, and so forth. Recalling that the government of the United Republic of Tanzania had allocated to the government of Burundi an internal container depot at the dry port of Kwala (Pwani region) to further facilitate the movement of goods to Burundi, the two Heads of State encouraged the organization of a technical visit to the site of the dry port of Kwala. The two Heads of State also took note of the progress of the ongoing cooperation between the Republic of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United Republic of Tanzania on the joint construction of the Uvinza-Musongati-Gitega-Uvira-Kindu railway.

During their bilateral talks, eight bilateral cooperation memoranda of understanding were signed, in particular on the holding of political and diplomatic consultations in the mining and energy sectors, on the teaching of Kiswahili in Burundi and French in Tanzania, in the field of health, on the transfer of detainees, in the agricultural and fishery fields.

Regarding regional cooperation, the two Heads of State exchanged views on various development sectors in the East African Community (EAC). They reaffirmed their commitment to always work closely together to defend the integration of the EAC and other regional organizations.

At the international level, the two Heads of State reiterated their commitment to work in close collaboration with the United Nations (UN) and other regional and international bodies in order to contribute to the strengthening of peace, security and stability; the fight against terrorism; issues related to climate change and sustainable development. They underlined their commitment to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and to the rules-based international order.

The Burundian President thanked his Tanzanian Counterpart for her successful State visit to Burundi and for her firm commitment to continue to work closely with him to strengthen bilateral relations between the Republic of Burundi and the United Republic of Tanzania in order to put both countries at the highest historical level possible.

A business forum between the Tanzanian and Burundian business communities was also organized as part of the events parallel to the State visit.

At the end of her visit, the Tanzanian President invited the Burundian President to pay a State visit to her country in the near future on dates to be agreed by the two parties. The President of Burundi accepted the invitation addressed to him and wished Mrs. Hassan good health and long life, and the best wishes for peace, stability and development to the people of the United Republic of Tanzania.