Bujumbura to withdraw troops from Congo

Burundi's government made a formal commitment on Monday to withdraw its troops from neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Official sources in Bujumbura, the Burundi capital, told IRIN on Wednesday that a government delegation led by Foreign Minister Therence Sinunguruza, who visited Kinshasa this week, pledged to pull out the troops soon. In return, the Congolese government pledged to discontinue support to Burundi rebels, saying it would "push" them to start "serious negotiations" with the Burundi government, Nicodemus Nduhirubusa, an advisor in the office of the minister of foreign relations and cooperation, told IRIN. He said the Congolese authorities also promised measures to ensure their territory would not be used to launch attacks on Burundi.

"In addition, the two countries decided to design an efficient mechanism of surveillance and protection along their common border to ward off incursions by armed groups," he added.

They resolved to normalise relations with regard to the Organisation of African Unity and UN charters on the non-use of force in resolution of conflicts. They also pledged to restore mutual confidence, and to relaunch mechanisms for bilateral relations, Nduhirubusa said. A meeting of experts from the two countries is scheduled for the second week of February, he added, to look into the possibilities of securing both countries' political will in the implementation of all that was agreed.

Burundi has had troops in the Congo since 1998, to guard against reported cross-border attacks by Burundian rebels of the Forces pour defense de la democratie. The Burundi delegation's visit to Kinshasa was in response to an invitation by Congolese Foreign Minister Leonard She Okitundu.

"It was also in response to the UN Security Council recommendation of November 2001 that parties to the Lusaka agreement meet with Burundi authorities so as to make sure the process in the Burundi and DRC peace processes advance simultaneously because there is a link between the two processes," Nduhirubusa said.