BUJUMBURA, February 21 (ABP) – The Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Office for Africa at UNDP, Mrs. Ahunna Eziakonwa, brought together on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, the various actors of civil society under the theme, ‘‘interactive role of civil society in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’’. It was also an opportunity to analyze the contribution of UNDP and civil society in the fight for the welfare of the people.
Mrs. Eziakonwa congratulated civil society leaders for their good collaboration with the Burundian Government and the respect they owe to the Constitution of Burundi. She recalled that civil society organizations play a crucial role in the implementation of the SDGs. They support citizens to flourish, particularly in terms of human rights, the fight against corruption, poverty and the environmental preservation.
According to Mrs. Eziakonwa, Burundians need a dynamic, diverse and independent civil society, capable of acting freely with intelligence and competence. It is in that context that she called on them to be exemplary in Burundian society and to work for the interest of the people.
During the discussions, participants revealed the problems linked to unemployment, discrimination of people with disabilities as well as the gaps observed in reports produced on human rights in Burundi. Reacting to those concerns, the Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Office for Africa, suggested to the participants that they should create new projects with a view to providing employment to the unemployed, and this in order to support the vision of the President of the Republic aimed at making Burundi an emerging country in 2040 and developed country in 2060.