BUJUMBURA March 25th (ABP) – The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Mr. Albert Shingiro and the Japanese Ambassador to Burundi, Mr. Masahiro Imai, signed and exchanged on Thursday, March 24, 2022, in Bujumbura, the notes for a donation of fuel equivalent to 400 million yen (about 3.45 million dollars), granted to the government of Burundi by the government of Japan within the framework of strengthening the relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, a check on the site by ABP has revealed.
Minister Shingiro told the press that Burundi has maintained very good relations with Japan since the 1970s and that the latter has already provided several supports equivalent to approximately 300 million US dollars.
He specified that the revenues from the sale of that fuel will be used to finance development projects that fit well with the National Development Plan of Burundi (PND 2018-2027) as well as with the orientations that the Head of the State, Mr. Evariste Ndayishimiye, continues to give.
On his part, the Japanese ambassador to Burundi said that the signing and exchange of notes for the fuel donation granted to Burundi constitutes an important contract which is only a symbol testifying to the intention of the government of Japan to continue to strengthen and diversify the existing and excellent relations between the two countries.
About 3.2 million liters of fuel will be supplied to the government of Burundi thanks to that assistance, it was specified in a press release issued on the sidelines of the signing and the exchange of related notes, adding that the government of Burundi is required to pay the revenues from the sale of fuel into an account opened at the Bank of the Republic of Burundi (BRB), with a view to facilitating the implementation of other development projects in the future through that account called “matching funds”.
The press release goes on to report that since 1970, Japan has implemented a series of aid projects focusing on the three priority areas: transport infrastructure, agriculture and social development.
The two parties commended the existence of the excellent relations of friendship and cooperation and pledged to further cement them through a mutually beneficial and fruitful partnership, the press release concludes.