Search
  1. Home
  2. East Africa
  3. Burundi

Ex-president to press for cease-fire talks

    NAIROBI

    Burundi's former president, Sylvestre Ntibantuganya, said on Friday that the gist of his discussions with the visiting South African Deputy President, Jacob Zuma, would be on the cease-fire between the government in Bujumbura and Hutu rebels.

    "I would like to give him some proposals on [a] cease-fire," Ntibantuganya told IRIN. "The rebels are ready [to negotiate] but they have some conditions which I believe must be discussed," he added. Ntibantunganya, who declined to provide details of his proposal, was due to meet with Zuma on Friday.

    Zuma, who has been mediating between the rebels and the government, arrived in the Burundi capital, Bujumbura, on Thursday. His three-day visit is in preparation for talks between the Burundi government and rebels slated for 31 January to 2 February in Pretoria, the South African capital.

    "I am here to brief the transitional government about the progress in talks with the rebels," AFP quoted Zuma as telling reporters on his arrival in Bujumbura. "We are in communication with them." Zuma is also due to brief Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa on Saturday on developments in Burundi and to seek support from Tanzania, a key partner in the region, towards strengthening the Burundi peace process.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

    Share this article

    Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

    We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

    Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

    Become a member of The New Humanitarian

    Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

    Join