BUJUMBURA May 11th (ABP) – The European Union (EU) is and will remain a reliable and leading partner in Burundi, said Monday, May 9, 2022, in Bujumbura, the EU Ambassador to Burundi, Mr. Claude Bochu, in his speech delivered on the occasion of Europe Day, celebrated on May 9 of each year, a check on the site by ABP has revealed.
The EU is a strong defender of human rights and democracy. Its history has given it values that are widely shared around the world. “this commitment is also expressed in Burundi, where we call for further progress in terms of human rights, governance and the rule of law and where we support, in particular, the work of the National Independent Commission for Human Rights. Human Rights (CNIDH), which substantially contributes to the protection and promotion of the rights of Burundians”, underlined Ambassador Bochu.
He recalled that an EU delegation has been present in Burundi and without interruption since 1978, adding that many cooperation projects have been carried out in the infrastructure sector, including the construction of hydroelectric or solar power plants, in the road sector. as well as resilience, rural development, food security and health projects.
Regarding the health sector, the EU Ambassador to Burundi expressed his pride in the fact that the EU has funded free healthcare for pregnant women and children under 5, with more than one million Burundian beneficiaries.
He further underlined that the EU’s commitment will continue and evolve towards other areas such as the fight against climate change and natural disasters, the renovation of the port of Bujumbura, the modernization of justice, culture, the protection of the environment and biodiversity, the development of the natural wonders of Burundi, as well as the support to Burundian youth for their creativity in particular, by facilitating their access to exchange programs.
Ambassador Bochu went on to remark that the EU, together with its colleagues from Belgium, Germany, France and the Netherlands, form a close team, emphasizing that the EU’s motto “United in diversity” is of course a strength but also an ambition.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Mr. Albert Shingiro, for his part, hailed the perseverance, the tenacious ardor, the inflexible determination, the courage, the moral force in the face of the trials of the peoples and their leaders. who have made Europe what it has become today and over time developed the weight it weighs on the international scene.
Mr. Shingiro also welcomed the fact that Europe Day for the year 2022 is being celebrated when the EU took a happy decision on February 8 to lift the sanctions economy against the government of Burundi. “This decision constitutes one more ingredient for warming the ties of friendship and cooperation with the EU, our country’s traditional partner,” underlined Minister Shingiro.
Note that the ceremonies for the celebration of Europe Day also saw the participation of ambassadors of EU Member States, members of the diplomatic and consular corps accredited in Burundi, representatives of international and regional organizations, members of the European community living in Burundi as well as the delegation of the ministry in charge of development cooperation.
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