Mandela may delay donor conference until accord signed

The facilitator of the Burundi peace process, Nelson Mandela, has threatened to delay a forthcoming donor conference on aid to Burundi “until a peace agreement has been signed by all the parties”. In a letter to leaders of the negotiating sides, a copy of which was seen by IRIN on Wednesday, said he had arranged to convene a meeting of donors in Paris to raise funds for scholarships and the industrialisation of Burundi. “But I cannot call the above conference and actually launch the scholarship programmes until a peace agreement has been signed by all the parties,” he said. “I therefore urge you to resolve the outstanding issues with the utmost urgency, so that the development programme can start without delay.” He urged the negotiators to “avoid wrangling and vying with one another on such an important issue”. A source from the Mandela Foundation said she was sure the agreement would be signed on 28 August as scheduled, and blamed the media for “hyping and casting doubts over the possibility of the signing”. “Those who choose to exclude themselves are welcome to do so,” she said. In his letter, Mandela also said he would move his office to Bujumbura after the signing of the accord.