• Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

Meeting of the Minister in charge of Finance with a delegation of the World Bank

ByWebmaster

Mar 21, 2023

BUJUMBURA March 21st (ABP) – The Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Audace Niyonzima welcomed, on Friday March 17, a delegation of the World Bank led by Burundian Floribert Ngaruko, new administrator of Burundi with that bank since October 2022 who had come to present himself.

According to Mr. Niyonzima, it is a visit that he makes to 22 African countries of the group 1 of the World Bank that he represents. He had also come to inquire about the challenges related to the financing of World Bank projects.

The Minister of Finance indicated that the projects financed by the World Bank in Burundi face two major challenges. The first is linked to the administrative burdens of the World Bank. In this regard, Mr. Ngaruko indicated that he will contribute to alleviate those burdens. The other challenge concerns the applicability of those projects by national managers: either inactive, not applied or not having the required skills. Mr. Niyonzima said that the two parties will act together to remedy this, each in they own way.

Mr. Niyonzima acknowledged that the rate of implementation of those projects is low, while affirming that despite this, the sums which have not been used will not fall into cancellation. Nevertheless, the consequences are that Burundi is obliged to extend the deadlines for the implementation of projects, which causes a delay in development. Based on the low level of disbursement of those funds, the World Bank does not grant a portfolio to other projects that Burundi needs financing, according to Mr. Niyonzima.