GITEGA August 18th (ABP) – Burundi Head of State Evariste Ndayishimiye has commended the willingness of representatives of various foreign companies wishing to invest in Burundi.
This is the revelation of the spokesperson for the President of the Republic, Mrs. Rosine Guilène Gatoni, to the press, at the end of the audiences that the Head of State granted, on Wednesday August 16, 2023, at the presidential palace of Gitega, the political capital of the country (center of the country), to the delegations of the said companies.
At the end of those audiences, Mrs. Gatoni revealed the content of the talks to the press. First, she said, President Ndayishimiye received in audience, Mr. Andrew Hunter, Australian and director of a consulting firm called “Hunted and Co consultancy”.
Mr. Hunter came to present to President Ndayishimiye his desire and that of the Australian investors he coordinates, to invest in Burundi in various fields, citing, among others, that of road infrastructure, that of mines as well as that of education and agriculture.
The President of the Republic appreciated that idea, Mrs. Gatoni reported, adding that he took the opportunity to let him know that Burundi has a starting momentum towards emergence in 2040, and towards development in 2060.
The Head of State opened the doors of technical services to those Australian investors and recommended that Mr. Hunter get in touch with the ministries concerned by the sectors of cooperation to establish collaborative relationships.
President Ndayishimiye expressed the same words of welcome to the delegation of the French company RUBIS Energy, East Africa region, which was led by Jean Christian Bergeron. Mrs. Gatoni said that the company in question works in the fuel sector and that it would like to strengthen its investments in Burundi, through its service stations, which are known as KOBIL, although they have been bought by RUBIS Energy.
Thirdly, President Ndayishimiye received in audience, a delegation from Equity Group Bank led by Mr. James Mwangi. This bank is present in all the East Africa countries, according to the spokesperson for the Burundi Head of State. The delegation came to express their desire to open a subsidiary of that bank in Burundi.
From the President of the Republic, the delegation became aware of the advantages offered by Burundi for the success of their bank, according to Mrs. Gatoni. She reported in particular on the geographical position which makes Burundi a bridge linking East Africa to West Africa and South Africa to North Africa.
Furthermore, she reported that Burundi is also a vast cross-border market. To the same delegation of the said bank, she said, the Head of State recommended to get in touch with the ministries involved in the interventions for the establishment of win-win relationships. These are the ministry in charge of finance and that in charge of infrastructure as well as the Bureau of strategic studies in the Office of the President of the Republic of Burundi.