GITEGA October 30th (ABP) – The Head of State, at the same time current president of the East African community, Evariste Ndayishimiye received an audience, Thursday October 26, 2023, at the presidential palace of Gitega (center of the country) , a delegation from the European Institute for Peace, led by Ms. Johnson Hilde, principal advisor of that institute, who came at her request to discuss the situation relating to peace and security in the East of the DR Congo and more particularly the process of returning to their countries of origin, foreign armed groups including Red Tabara, who are there.
The president’s spokesperson, Mrs. Rosine Guilène Gatoni, reported that during his interview with Ms. Hilde, Mr. Ndayishimiye returned to the decisions taken by the heads of state of that community, in particular that of asking all armed groups to lay down their weapons in order to be reintegrated into the community. On that subject, he further declared that the doors are open to the Red Tabara group of Burundi so that its rebel members can return home.
According to Mrs. Gatoni, the Head of State called on the members of the delegation of the European Institute for Peace to do everything possible to help the children of the nation who are outside the country, return to also contribute to the development of the country.
He also pointed out that among the members of the Red Tabara group, there are those who are being pursued by the Burundian justice system following offenses committed in Burundi in the past, from where he called on them to return to be judged.
On behalf of the guests, the delegation of the European Institute for Peace committed to continuing to give advice to all stakeholders so that all armed groups can lay down their weapons and return to their respective countries and particularly the Red Tabara, by facilitating dialogues and discussions with those groups.
Eager to see all the children of the nation return home, the Head of State pledged to send a delegation to explain to them that Burundi is ready to receive them and to create an atmosphere of trust that can make them feel that Burundi is still their homeland.
The President also received Mr. Aftab Alam Khan who wishes to contribute to the development of the country in the field of health, pharmaceutical sector, from the company Mr. Pharmed LLP, specialized in the manufacturing of medicines.
Mrs. Gatoni also specified that Mr. Aftab Alam Khan presented to President Ndayishimiye a project consisting of opening a pharmaceutical branch in Burundi so that medicines can be produced locally to certified international standards and in sufficient numbers so that the Burundian population can have medicines at an affordable price but also medicines to export.
In addition to that project, Mr. Aftab Alam Khan proposed to the Head of State a partnership project with an Indian hospital which consists of bringing all the machines necessary for cardiovascular operations and which would also be paired with Indian hospitals ready to send their health professionals to strengthen the capacities of Burundian experts.
The Head of State welcomed him and approved that project which is one of the government’s priorities, particularly that of ensuring good health and its services to all Burundians. To that end, he recommended that he contact the services concerned in order to develop concrete projects for implementation.
Based on this, the president’s spokesperson recalled that the first lady of the country, Mrs. Angeline Ndayishimiye, is already working in that sector and is making a lot of efforts to send children born with heart defects abroad for care. According to her, that project comes to strengthen the efforts she has undertaken by setting up specialized services to allow Burundians to access high quality health services specialized in that area without however being transferred to the foreigner.
Note that apart from that subject relating to health, Mr. Aftab Alam Khan and his colleague also presented to the Burundian Head of State a project in the field of energy, where they proposed collaboration in the field of energy audit in order to always evaluate the Burundian energy system whether in the transformation, production and repair of transformers which, until today, require interventions from outside.
The Head of State also opened the doors to them and recommended that they contact the services concerned, namely the ministry responsible for energy and particularly REGIDESO.