BUJUMBURA August 30th (ABP) – The President of the Republic of Burundi, Evariste Ndayishimiye, granted on Tuesday August 29, 2023, a series of audiences to the various authorities including Claude Bochou, the outgoing Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Burundi, Joroen Steeghs, the outgoing ambassador of the Netherlands to Burundi and Jilly E. Maleko, the outgoing ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania to Burundi.
At the end of those audiences, Mr. Bochou indicated that he have come to bid farewell after having completed four years of his term, adding that they discussed some aspects of the good ties that currently characterize Burundi and the EU. He added that diplomatic relations between the two countries have improved.
Furthermore, he promised that in the coming days, the EU will resume supporting the government of Burundi after a long period during which budget support was stopped.
For his part, Mr. Steeghs indicated that they discussed the good relations that exist between Burundi and the Netherlands. He did not fail to point out that, during the years of crisis in Burundi, the Netherlands supported it in the preservation of peace and in the project of national reconciliation.
As for E. Maleko, she expressed her satisfaction for the work done in Burundi and testified to her good collaboration with the Burundian authorities. She also praised the award offered to her by the President of the Republic for the implication of the good relations existing between Burundi and Tanzania.
It is worth recalling that at the end of those audiences, the President of the Republic warmly thanked them for the commendable work accomplished in improving diplomatic relations between Burundi and their countries and took the opportunity to wish them every success in future other occupations.