Japan donates US $50,000 to peace process

Japan will contribute US $50,000 to a UN trust fund in support of a stakeholders meeting to be held soon in Arusha, Tanzania, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday. The ministry noted that the Burundi peace process had "significantly moved forward" through the efforts of mediator and former South African president Nelson Mandela, including the decision to establish a transitional government on 1 November. "However, there are still a number of matters under discussion, in particular, a cease-fire agreement with the rebel groups is yet to be concluded," it added. Calling the stakeholders conference "an important meeting for further promoting the Burundi peace process", Japan said its donation was intended "to support the United Nations' efforts for a peaceful settlement of the dispute as well as to enhance the friendly relations between Japan and Burundi". More than 200,000 people are estimated to have been killed since the eruption of civil war in 1993 in Burundi. The peace process began in 1998, with a series of talks held in Arusha that led to the August 2000 signing of the Arusha peace accord.