Arusha security talks reported to be progressing

Meanwhile, ‘Committee Three’ of the Burundi peace process was “making good progress” at ongoing talks in Arusha, the executive officer of the facilitation team, Mark Bomani, told IRIN on Tuesday. Committee three, charged with looking into matters of peace and security, is currently “finishing up discussions on demobilisation, reorganisation of the army, police, and others issues”, Bomani said. “Several issues have been agreed upon and I would say they have made good progress,” he added. The meeting is expected to end at the weekend.

Contrary to press reports that representatives of Forces nationales de liberation (FNL) and Forces pour la defense de la democratie (FDD) had “declined” to send representatives to the ongoing meeting, Bomani said they were not expected for this round. Burundi Justice Minister Therence Sinunguruza also said the two were not due to participate in the talks just yet. “They requested the facilitators to call another meeting in July to give them time to understand what had been discussed before,” he said.