BUJUMBURA June 3rd (ABP) – Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye received in audience on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov, on an official visit to Burundi and their exchanges focused on cooperation projects in some areas such as health, education, agriculture, to name but a few.
In an interview given to the press, the spokesperson for the President of the Republic, Mrs. Rosine Guilène Gatoni, indicated that the two persons high in authorities were delighted with the good bilateral cooperation relations that exist between the two countries. In their exchanges, Mrs. Gatoni pointed out, they came back to the cooperation programs that already exist, including those in prospect. She cited, among other things, the particular program in the field of health, research on infectious diseases where Russia supports Burundi through the establishment of a research laboratory and the capacity building of Burundians on those diseases.
In the field of education, Mrs. Gatoni said that the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs has announced that the number of Burundian scholarship holders will double during the coming academic year.
According to the spokesman for the President of the Republic, they also spoke about the field of peaceful nuclear energy. She pointed out that cooperation frameworks are being drafted so that, very soon, Burundian executives can go to Russia for capacity building in that sector, with the aim of devoting nuclear energy for especially increasing energy, an essential source for the development of any country.
Minister Sergei took the opportunity to invite the Burundian President and the Burundians to the Summits in prospect, in this case the Russia-Africa Summit and especially the economic forum of Saint Petersburg.
For his part, the Head of State welcomed the Russian Minister and was delighted with the good relations that exist between Russia and Burundi, especially since even during the hard times that Burundi went through in 2015 when it was reeling from the sanctions, Russia was always by its side.
Mrs. Gatoni also indicated that the President of the Republic took the opportunity to share with that Russian minister the vision of Burundi as an “Emerging country in 2040 and developed country in 2060”. He asked him to support Burundi in that development journey. President Ndayishimiye told him that to carry out this vision, certain sectors of national life have been prioritized. He thus mentioned the energy sector where the country needs more energy coverage, and the agricultural sector where he asked for support in terms of the supply of fertilizers.
The Burundian President also appreciated the support of the Russian government in the fields of health and education while commending the initiative to double the number of scholarships allocated to Burundians.
On all the requests that the Burundi Head of State was able to submit, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs took them into account while pointing out that, with regard to fertilizers, Burundi will be a priority country as the recipient of fertilizers from Russia through the World Food Program (WFP), partner of that country with regard to the subsidy of fertilizers. Regarding the events that Russia is organizing on an international scale to which Burundi has been invited, the President of the Republic has confirmed Burundi’s participation, according to the spokesperson for the President of the Republic.