Burundi lauds Tanzania for role in lifting of sanctions
Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye at the State House in Bujumbura on June 13, 2020. PHOTO | FIL
What you need to know:
- Tanzania, through President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her predecessor, the late John Magfuguli, took a strong position against the politically-motivated sanctions imposed on Burundi
Arusha. Burundi has lauded Tanzania for having the economic sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU) seven years ago lifted.
Tanzania - through President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her predecessor, the late John Magfuguli took a strong position against the politically-motivated sanctions.
“The sanctions were illegal. The East African Community (EAC) region has gained from the lifting of sanctions,” affirmed Burundi Minister for EAC Affairs, Ezekiel Nibigira. He told the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) sitting on Wednesday that Tanzania had sided with Burundi when the sanctions were imposed in 2015.
The EU froze €432 million in funding to Burundi in 2015 (about $514 million) at the height of the country’s political crisis following extension of his presidential tenure by the late Pierre Nkurunziza.
Belgium - another top donor to the EAC member country - followed suit by blocking disbursement of €60 million ($70 million) to Burundi.
This was a major blow to the land-locked and resource-poor state which depended on foreign aid for most of its budget. The European economic bloc (EU) also placed sanctions on some Burundian politicians and state officials and froze government financing from that year ( 2015).
By then, the ensuing violence had left at least 1,200 people dead, while 400,000 others had fled the country.
Even after the country returned to some form of normality from 2020, in the same year the EU extended the sanctions to December last year.
The large number of internally-displaced persons (IDPs) forced many Burundians to depend on international humanitarian assistance.
Tanzania has repeatedly called on the international community to lift the economic blockade of its neighbour.
President Hassan paid a state visit to Burundi last year, while President Evariste Ndayishimiye, who succeeded the late Nkurunziza, has been to Tanzania numerous times.
The Burundi minister also made a special tribute to the Ugandan and Kenyan Presidents Kaguta Museveni and Uhuru Kenyatta espectively, saying they stood firm against the sanctions.
In a rare sign of warming relations with Rwanda, Mr. Nibigira said Burundi’s northern neighbour, Rwanda, also contributed to the lifting of the blockade.
The soft-spoken Burundi EAC minister also gave an overview of implementation of the regional projects in all the six partner states. That was minutes after assuming a new and unexpected responsibility.
He took over as acting Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, an authoritative organ of the Community, in place of Adan Mohamed of Kenya.
The latter, Kenya’s cabinet secretary for EAC Affairs, resigned last week to opt for a position in the coming Kenyan general elections.
Mr. Nibigira said despite the lifting of sanctions and warming relations with neighbours, Burundians would remain vigilant against repeat of the 2015 crisis.
Only days after the end of the blockade, Burundi has started to feel a sigh of relief. The United States, which spearheaded the country’s isolation on alleged human rights abuses, has pledged $400 million in aid.
“It is a kitty of $400 million (€294 million) to support President Ndayishimiye’s reforms for sustainable development,” tweeted Burundi Foreign Minister Albert Shingiro.
EAC secretary general Peter Mathuki said the move was a positive development which would spur implementation of EU-funded programmes “at both the regional and national levels”.
EU-funded projects in the six-nation EAC bloc are largely focused on capacity building, digital transformation and innovation, as well as trade integration and governance.
Others are on peace and security, migration and force-displacement and environmental conservation.
