• Tue. Mar 19th, 2024

Holding in Bujumbura of the 4th session of the political dialogue between the EU and Burundi

ByWebmaster

May 20, 2022

BUJUMBURA May 20th (ABP) – The fourth session of political dialogue between the European Union (EU) and Burundi was held on Thursday, May 19, 2022, in Bujumbura, as part of discussing the new chapter started between Burundi and the EU and on the war between Russia and Ukraine in both the international and regional context, a check on the site by ABP has revealed.

In his speech for the occasion, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Mr. Albert Shingiro, said that this session was held at a time when the partnership between Burundi and the EU is gradually strengthening with the lifting of, in February of the current year, of the sanctions imposed on Burundi in 2016.

Minister Shingiro took that opportunity to sincerely thank the ambassadors of the EU Member States for the positive role they were willing to play in the process leading to the final lifting of these sanctions.

“This positive process is the result of the triumph of sincere and friendly dialogue, but also and above all of our common determination to move forward and reach a constructive agreement in the interest of our respective peoples”, underlined the Minister. responsible for development cooperation.

Moreover, that Burundian diplomat pointed out that the President of the Republic, Mr. Evariste Ndayishimiye, had the opportunity to express to the authorities of the European Commission his satisfaction and that of his people with regard to the lifting of the said sanctions during its active participation in the EU-African Union (AU) summit held in Brussels (Belgium) in February this year.

Minister Shingiro estimated that we will continue the constructive dialogue with a spirit of greater openness to achieve all the expected results which are, among others, the restoration of confidence, mutual understanding, reciprocal support as well as partnership. mutually advantageous and respectful of the sovereignty of each nation in accordance with the requirements of the United Nations Charter.

The Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs did not forget to reaffirm the determination of the Government of Burundi to respect these commitments in this area and to make this dialogue a space for the expression of the long and sincere friendship between Burundi and the EU, and for the strengthening of their partnership which is being built after a few years of wait-and-see attitude and even reciprocal mistrust. “This small period is definitely closed,” he rejoiced.

In his opening remarks, the EU Ambassador to Burundi, Mr. Claude Bochu, for his part, underlined that the new partnership between Burundi and the EU is the result of the work carried out together with the Burundian authorities until that the sanctions that had been imposed in 2016 against the country are lifted.

Ambassador Bochu indicated that this new partnership also benefited from the support of the President of the Republic of Burundi who, for the first time in some time, participated in an EU-AU summit in Brussels. He hoped that this return of Burundi on the international scene would also be purely manifested within the European institutions.

Note that the fourth session of the political dialogue between Burundi and the EU continued behind closed doors.