BUJUMBURA July 11th (ABP) – The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation Amb. Albert Shingiro, held on Friday, July 7, 2023, a press conference, at the Kiriri Garden Hotel, on the achievements of the ministry, during the second half of the 2022-2023 budget year.
Regarding the politico-diplomatic gains, Ambassador Shingiro said that the government of Burundi has recently found a good place to lead the defense forces of the Central African community, so that there will be a Burundian who will lead those forces in Chief of Staff level. He added that Burundi continues to closely follow efforts aimed at restoring peace and security in Somalia, the Central African Republic and the DRC.
In the same context, Minister Shingiro reported that the Head of State was elected the third vice president of the African Union, the deputy chairman of COMESA, the champion of youth and the city of Bujumbura, chosen as a city of youth at the African level. He announced that the Head of State, during this second semester, went to Luanda in Angola, in a meeting of Heads of State, which included four organizations such the Community of Central African States, the African countries of the Great Lakes, the community of South African countries, to analyze together the state of peacebuilding in the DRC.
Regarding bilateral cooperation, Amb. Albert Shingiro said that they were able to sign many agreements, in this case, the agreement with Indonesia, the agreement with Qatar, the agreement with the DRC for the exchange of goods in order to earn currencies, to name but a few. He thus indicated that they have many projects, in particular the projects to rebuild and enlarge the International Airport Melchior Ndadaye, to erect the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the reconstruction of the port of Bujumbura, the project to build granaries in Ngozi and Karusi provinces for the storage of products as well as the project to light the city of Bujumbura and Gitega.
In terms of education, they have received 174 opportunities for young people who want to study abroad and 100 for workers who have gone to improve their skills, Mr. Shingiro pointed out.
According to him, they are preparing the week of the diaspora, where the Burundians who live and work abroad will come in the month of August, which will be an opportunity for them to reach their communes and their provinces in order to contribute to the development of the country.
As for the challenges encountered, Minister Shingiro indicated that they have a problem of insufficient means for the implementation of certain projects.
He ended his remarks by thanking the President of the Republic of Burundi for his support and guidance in order to work well in harmony. He also thanked all the staff of the ministry who continue to make efforts in the implementation of the projects as well as the countries which contribute a lot in the development of Burundi.