Peace talks resume in Arusha

Peace talks on Burundi resumed in Arusha, Tanzania, today. Delegates were meeting in committees dealing with the nature of conflict, democracy and good governance, peace and security, and economic reconstruction and development. “We are hopeful that the negotiations will be reached by the end of the year,” Nyerere Foundation spokesman Mark Bomani told IRIN.

Prior to the resumption of the talks, the foundation held a two-day workshop to sensitise delegates on conflict management and techniques for peace negotiation with a team of international mediators who had helped negotiate peace deals in Bosnia, Northern Ireland and Mozambique. “The importance of these sessions was to give insight and enable delegates learn from other countries the basic components of conflict management and peace negotiation. We also hoped that it would make the people of Burundi realise that their problem was not unique.” The attendance was large with representatives from civil society, women’s groups and religious leaders, he noted.