BUJUMBURA December 20th (ABP) – The President of the Republic of Burundi, Mr. Evariste Ndayishimiye, accompanied by the First Lady, Mrs. Angeline Ndayishimiye, returned on Sunday evening, December 18, 2022, from an official mission to Washington, where he took part in the United States-Africa Summit, held from December 13 to 15, 2022.
On his arrival at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport, the Head of State drew a positive assessment of the said mission. It was an opportunity to exchange experiences and the vision of Burundi, particularly with regard to the promotion of farming, environmental, food security and health sectors, said Mr. Ndayishimiye.
He also had the opportunity to discuss with several American businessmen, who say they are ready to come and invest in Burundi in various fields.
In this regard, President Ndayishimiye continued to say, an American private sector investment fund has undertaken to intervene, by agreeing to lend to Burundian businessmen a sum of approximately 450 million American dollars, for capital start-up, particularly in the industry sector and especially in the processing of agricultural and livestock products. The Head of State took the opportunity to call on Burundian investors to work closely with American investors in the implementation of development projects.
The top leader of Burundi also indicated that on the sidelines of the said Summit, he exchanged with Burundi’s partners in terms of development, in particular those of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who undertake to continue their investment in supporting the socio-economic development of Burundi. Indeed, the Head of State reported that the World Bank has agreed to release an envelope of 150 million dollars for the construction of Bujumbura-Gitega and Bujumbura-Gitaza roads, and also undertakes to support Burundi government programs in connection with the development of soil, energy, to name but a few.
As the president of the East African Community (EAC), his stay in Washington also allowed him to meet other Heads of State of the region, to discuss the security situation in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), given that peace in the region is an absolute emergency, he stressed. Mr. Ndayishimiye thus revealed that all the Heads of State in the region are unanimous that the M23 must begin the disengagement of its forces, which will be followed by the process of their reintegration so that peace can be established in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo.