BUJUMBURA October 27th (ABP) – The Acting Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Burundi, Mr. Abdou Dieng and members of the United Nations (UN) country team in Burundi, hosted on Wednesday, on October 25, 2023, in Bujumbura, a press conference to communicate on the work of the agencies of the United Nations System in Burundi.
It was on the occasion of the celebration of United Nations Day, which day is celebrated on October 24 each year, since the entry into force of the United Nations Charter in 1945.
That day was celebrated in Burundi under the theme “The United Nations and the government are committed to accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Burundi”.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, through the related message published on October 24, 2023, noted that the Charter of the United Nations is, above all, anchored in the determination to overcome divisions, to restore established relationships. to harm and build peace. It is also rooted in the determination to break new ground and leave no one behind, to ensure justice, equality and the empowerment of women and girls, as well as to provide life-saving assistance to those who are in need.
“On that United Nations Day, let us put all our hopes and determination into the service of the better world to which we aspire. Let us commit to building a future worthy of the name of our indispensable organization. Our world is divided. We can and we must be United Nations,” stressed Mr. Antonio Guterres.
After recalling the role of the United Nations system in Burundi, the Acting Resident Coordinator of the latter, Abdou Dieng, invited the different members of the UN country team to present their agencies, each as far as they are concerned. and its sectors of intervention.
The representative of the World Health Organization, Dr. Xavier Crespin reported that malaria remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Burundi, with an incidence of 537.6%. The prevalence of chronic malnutrition is estimated at 55.8% and global acute malnutrition is estimated at 4.8%. Cholera, measles, polio and Covid-19 pose significant public health threats to the country, he added.
He also noted that the country has experienced a slight improvement in certain key indicators over the past ten years. The maternal mortality rate increased from 500 to 334 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, the infant and child mortality rate increased from 96 to 78 deaths per 1000 live births, while the neonatal mortality rate increased from 31 to 23 deaths per 1,000 live births, he revealed.
Dr. Xavier indicated that additional efforts are expected to achieve the SDG targets by 2030, that is, 140 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births and 12 neonatal deaths per 1000 live births. He emphasized that WHO’s overall mandate is to promote health, ensure global security and serve vulnerable people so that everyone, everywhere, can achieve the highest levels of health and well-being.
For his part, the representative of the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), Mr. Dademanao Pissang Tchangai, recalled that the FAO’s intervention focuses on three priority areas, in order to guide its partnership and its support to the government. That involves the sustainable improvement of food and nutritional security through an increase in agricultural, livestock, forestry and fisheries production, the sustainable management of natural resources and the strengthening of resilience to climate change, as well as strengthening institutional and organizational capacities.
During the question-and-answer session, almost all the questions from media professionals focused on the implementation of the SDGs and the contribution of UN agencies in the implementation of the 2040 and 2060 vision. To the question to know if Burundi will be able to eradicate poverty if every mouth has enough to eat, the resident representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Mathieu Ciowela, replied that everything is possible if there is the will because, he explained, there are countries which have been able to reverse the trend, in that case, the Asian countries.