National assembly ratifies peace accord

Burundi’s national assembly on Thursday ratified the Arusha peace agreement by consensus between all the parties signatory to the agreement, Burundi’s private Umwizero radio reported on Thursday. However, the reservations expressed and the amendments demanded by some of the signatories will continue to be discussed, the speaker of parliament, Leonce Ngendakumana said. He said that the national institutions would remain in place until the peace accord was implemented. “I think that those who expressed concern were right and we took into account the reservations, amendments, constitutional and institutional concerns,” Ngendakumana said.

“This means that the concerns were well founded and we have indicated in the adoption text how the issues will be tackled,” he noted. “As for the adoption, we have clearly said that the institutions of the republic, as well as the constitutional provisions which govern their running will remain in place until the institutions themselves are replaced.” He noted that at the beginning there was confusion between the actual content of the current agreement and pending issues.