Annan concerned over Burundians' economic hardships

Despite "encouraging" developments in Burundi's peace process, the socio-economic deprivation from which the people of Burundi continue to suffer is a matter of serious concern, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Monday. "There is a risk that the hopeful signs of peace which have now begun to appear could be lost unless they are accompanied by improvements in the living conditions of the population as a 'peace dividend'," Annan said in his latest report to the UN Security Council on the situation in Burundi. Calling on the donor community to provide aid to Burundi, Annan said donors should accelerate disbursement of the pledges they made in Paris and Geneva, "and to respond generously at a partners' forum being organised in Brussels in early 2004". "I also encourage donors to strengthen their support to humanitarian assistance efforts in Burundi," he said. He added that the year 2003, which witnessed the transfer of power at the presidential level and intensive ceasefire negotiations, had created a new hope for a democratic and peaceful Burundi. These developments had transformed the nature of politics in the country from one characterised by ethnic-based exclusion to one based on peaceful competition between political alliances, "and the transitional institutions are working well", Annan said. "New alliances are being created and the people of Burundi are adjusting themselves to the new situation," he said. A three-year transitional government was established in Burundi following the signing by 19 Burundian parties of the Arusha Accord for Peace and Reconciliation on 28 August 2000, which allowed for two 18-month phases under which the country would be led by a Tutsi and a Hutu president respectively. In his report, Annan noted that Burundi was trying to recover from a decade of civil strife that had resulted in the deaths of up to 300,000 people. However, he said that the transitional period was due to end in one year and many challenges were yet to be overcome. "The coming few months will put extra demands on the Implementation Monitoring Committee [IMC], chaired by my special representative, which will need to intensify its activities in order to discharge its supervisory responsibilities for the implementation of the Arusha Agreement, including the implementation of the ceasefire agreements and the reforms," Annan said. "The preparation and conduct of the elections, preceded by the adoption of a post-transition constitution and an electoral code, will need to be undertaken during this period," he said.