27th February, 2018
Amid ongoing political tensions, the situation in Burundi is “not suitable” for credible elections, Michel Kafando, the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Burundi has said.
Kafando said urgent efforts were needed to keep the “hard-won” gains in Burundi from eroding.
He noted that while the security situation was calm, there was still the potential for volatility as political tensions persisted.
“The overall political situation, along with the Government’s decision to revise the Constitution, has hampered economic development.
“At the same time, though Burundi has made some progress, human rights violations are still being reported and the humanitarian situation remains a worry.
“The environment is ‘not suitable’ for the conduct of credible elections, planned for 2020″, he said.
Presenting the Secretary-General’s latest report on the situation in the country, Kafando highlighted the efforts made at the inter-Burundian dialogue.
He said the region had decided to continue those talks, with strong commitments from the African Union and other regional partners.
“Dialogue remains indispensable, as the process sought to bring Burundians closer together with a view to building a strong nation,” Kafando added.
Also, Jürg Lauber (Switzerland), the Chair of the Burundi Configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, said that the Configuration would align its work with sub-regional, regional and international efforts.
Lauber said it would focus on the East African Community’s mediation initiative, a path to peaceful elections, socioeconomic dialogue with the Government and partners, as well as humanitarian and national reconciliation initiatives.