Donors pledge US $170 million for post-war recovery bid

Burundi received pledges of about US $170 million at the end of a donor’s conference on Tuesday, to cover the cost of its emergency post-war recovery needs for 2006.

Speaking at a news conference after the meeting, Burundi Deputy President Alice Nzomukunda expressed satisfaction with the donors’ pledges.

"The total of the needs have been covered," she said.

Burundi had asked for some $168.2 million for the recovery effort to cover urgent needs such as aid to the drought-stricken population; the rehabilitation of social infrastructures; the improvement of health care; the repatriation of refugees; and the resettlement of vulnerable people. The money received will also help Burundi ensure good governance and restore the rule of law.

Nzomukunda said nearly $85 million would be in fresh money to be released immediately. The rest would come from funds allocated to projects underway in Burundi that would be redirected to the recovery programme.

She told reporters that all the donors present contributed: They included the European Union, Britain’s Department for International Development, the World Bank, France, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Nigeria, Switzerland and the United States.

Burundi will organise another donor conferences in September, to support its poverty reduction strategic plan.