Burundians “must get down to business” - Mandela

Former South African president Nelson Mandela has said the misery of the Burundian people “affects us all and diminishes the humanity of all of us”. Addressing the UN Security Council on Wednesday, the new Burundi peace mediator said that despite the grave difficulties facing Burundi, there had been much progress since the start of the Arusha negotiations 18 months ago. He said he came away from his preliminary meeting in Arusha, Tanzania, on Sunday “impressed by the potential and quality of the leadership present in Burundi”.

“But it is time for Burundians to get down to business!”, Mandela stated. “No-one can reach an agreement on their behalf. The responsibility rests squarely with their leaders now to find the necessary arrangements by which Burundians can live together.” Noting an increase in violence over the past year, Mandela reiterated that the peace process was the only way Burundi could achieve peace and to this end it had to be all-inclusive. He said the facilitation team had accepted an invitation from the Burundi government to visit the country and stressed that peace in Burundi would have a profound effect on stability in the region.

Urging the international community to sustain the ongoing negotiations, he said that without underestimating the problems of Burundi, there was “sufficient capacity” among leaders in Burundi to reach compromises and agreements leading to peace and stability.