UN Security Council mission expected, agenda set

The UN Security Council delegation is expected to arrive in the Burundi capital, Bujumbura, on Tuesday with a twofold mission: to meet all signatories to the Arusha accord and encourage their cessation of hostilities and full observance of the accord, and to examine the correlation of the conflicts in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and encourage the authorities of both countries to engage in dialogue.

The Burundi’s Information Centre for NGOs noted that the arrival of the UN mission came as the delegations of the government of Burundi, the Union pour le progres national (UPRONA), the Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie (CNDD), and the Parti pour le redressement national (PARENA) concluded a two-day conference at which they agreed to put in place a permanent consultation body responsible for responding to the expectations of the population; to contribute to the implementation of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Accord, to engage in direct and regular consultations to identify all problems creating obstacles, and to propose solutions.

The four delegations noted “questions relative to transition [of leadership] and security” as among their top priorities, and concluded that “the implementation of the accord cannot precede a ceasefire and resolution of related issues”. They agreed to continue their consultations in Rome in three weeks’ time.