澳门六合彩

H.E. Pierre Nkurunziza, President of the Republic of Burundi discussed his initiatives to pull the country out of a troubled and restive post鈥揷onflict era and to create both a political and economic environment necessary to bolster investment, trade, and support from the international community.聽

During his recent visit to 澳门六合彩, H.E. Pierre Nkurunziza, President of the Republic of Burundi, discussed efforts to pull the country聽out of a troubled post-conflict era. Steve McDonald, director of 澳门六合彩鈥檚 Africa Program, provides additional commentary.

H.E. Pierre Nkurunziza, President of the Republic of Burundi

Howard Wolpe, Former Congressman & Special Representative to the Great Lakes

Michael Van Dusen, Executive Vice President and COO, Woodrow Wilson Center

Steve McDonald, Director of the Africa Program and Project on Leadership and Building State Capacity, Woodrow Wilson Center

鈥淩ecent events of politically motivated violence in the capital of Bujumbura underline the fact that Burundi remains a fragile society, politically and socially, and the job of reconciliation and recovery is still a work in progress,鈥� stated Michael Van Dusen, Executive Vice President and COO of 澳门六合彩 to open the discussion. 聽Further, 鈥淚t is the task that President Nkurunziza 鈥� is now undertaking 鈥� looking to expand foreign investment and trade and rectify many of the inequities inherited from its colonial and violent past.聽 While expanding free education to all secondary school children in 2005, reaching a ceasefire with the final rebel group in 2008 and working to professionalize the national army and police forces, much remains to be done,鈥� he continued.

Historical Perspective

Howard Wolpe, former Director of the Africa Program at the Center, gave on overview of Burundi鈥檚 recent history.聽 It is, he said, a country with a tragic history of cyclical violence, genocidal massacres and implacable poverty, and is still in the throes of challenges that undermine its stability and prospects for long-term development. 聽Despite the country鈥檚 insecurity and economic hindrances, Wolpe stated that progress has, in fact, been made. 聽A few years ago, the country brimmed with palpable ethnic tension, merely uttering the words 鈥淭utsi鈥� and 鈥淗utu鈥� was a dreadful social taboo, and the notion of interethnic negotiation was considered a treasonous act. 聽At present, there is a new sense of normalcy and people go about their daily affairs without the sense of looming disaster. 聽The army has become one of the most cohesive integrative forces in the country and currently plays a major role in the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM). 聽When one considers this historical perspective, 鈥渢oday, the whole Tutsi, Hutu divide is probably the least consequential of all the points of division and conflict within Burundi 鈥� there are some places in the world where a very different strategy has been pursued, where the effort is to deny ethnicity.聽 In Burundi, it鈥檚 really remarkable to walk into the country and it鈥檚 a bit like America, it鈥檚 all out on the table.聽 People are comfortable now talking about ethnicity.聽 I think that鈥檚 much healthier for the long-term future of Burundi than a strategy that attempts to deny and to repress discussions around it.聽 That鈥檚 what I think is one of the most important contributions that the President and his colleagues have made in bringing Burundi to a new phase,鈥� posited Wolpe.

A New Burundi

President Nkurunziza reflected on the influence that Burundi鈥檚 violent history still has on the country. 聽The country has undergone 45 years of systematic social and economic exclusion and division, which has resulted in grave consequences: a refugee population numbering in the tens of thousands, internally displaced Burundians estimated at 150,000, economic stagnation, and a hamstrung development process. 聽The Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement (APRA) had called for democratic elections in Burundi to take place in 2005. 聽聽These elections brought into place the first majority government which has been sustained in power.聽 The APRA had also set in place formulas through which Burundians began to find solutions to the past conflicts and heal the rift between the government and the armed forces. 聽For instance, all ethnic groups were to be represented in public institutions, including the army and the police, by a representative ratio. 聽The President expressed pride in the status of Burundi today, saying: 鈥淎ujourd鈥檋ui, on se f茅licite que le Burundi, malgr茅 des probl猫mes que nous avons eu pendant longtemps, le Burundi aide maintenant d鈥檃utres pays en difficult茅s. 聽D鈥檜n autre temps, on se disait que le Burundi, c鈥櫭﹖ait un pays inaccessible, un pays 脿 probl猫mes et un pays qui a connu un embargo. Mais on dit maintenant que le Burundi impressionne beaucoup de pays et la communaut茅 internationale.鈥� [1] Though Burundi may be a country beset with various difficulties, today it is trying to turn the page on its tumultuous past and its peace process is considered a model in Africa, the President concluded.

Investment

The President stated that Burundi is open to investment opportunities and is a member of the East African Community (EAC), which is working to harmonize security, economic, and social policy and practices. 聽The final step will be the political federation and the establishment of a common market led by one currency. 聽

Ethnic Divisions

In terms of the Hutu and Tutsi relations, Nkurunziza said that the solution was incorporated in the new constitution, which contains aspects of reconciliation 鈥� the Truth and Reconciliation Commission 鈥� and clearly observes the principles of equality and human dignity. 聽As for elections, the constitution explicitly states how the process should be carried out, including the recruitment process. 聽Democracy is the solution to the country鈥檚 ethnic divisions. 聽Economic growth requires contributions and input from the Burundian people, the government, and the private sector. 聽The President observed, 鈥淎vec la Vision du Burundi 2025, ce que le gouvernement doit faire, c鈥檈st de d茅solidariser progressivement des affaires et de donner une place au secteur priv茅.鈥�[2] 聽Going forward, free market liberalization will treble in importance for the political and economic development of the country.

Disarmament

President Nkurunziza said that the people of Burundi have willingly surrendered more than 80,000 arms to the government. 聽The campaign to disarm Burundi has been a worldwide effort. 聽Some organizations are also working on a project to turn arms into tools for Burundians to use during their daily routines. 聽It is important to ensure that all weapons are identified and registered, as well as to gain a better understanding of the means by which small-scale weapons are able to circulate throughout the country.

Education

The right to education, the President said, is vital to the country鈥檚 future peace and stability. 聽Previously, the Hutu population was wholly excluded and marginalized yet today the number of primary schools has multiplied twofold and all ethnicities are welcome. 聽Approximately 2000 schools were built over a three year period. 聽To build education programs in the country, it is first necessary to have the corresponding infrastructure e.g. schools, roads, and training centers.聽 Burundi must demonstrate that it can give its people a quality education. 聽Education in Burundi is constantly evolving: the training of teachers, the number of years of primary school, the breadth of courses taught, and a focus on a 鈥渢锚te bien faite鈥�[3] teaching pedagogy, i.e. one that focuses on creating analytical thinkers.

The Road to 2025

Vision 2025 was conceptualized to safeguard peace and security, the President explained. 聽Burundi is conscious of the help it once received from other countries when it was in turmoil; Burundi is showing leadership with respect to peacekeeping and stabilizing missions. 聽Additionally, some 700,000 Burundian refugees have returned to their homes since 2005. 聽The country has entered into a Poverty Reduction Strategy Program (PRSP) with the World Bank to tackle social problems such as education and maternal health care. 聽The President noted the importance of continuing to monitor the post-conflict situation and the democratic process. 聽There are still innumerable challenges that lie ahead; certain programs can only be implemented progressively because of political differences. 聽However, developments within the country are a testament to the fact that the country is changing.

[1] Today, we congratulate each other that Burundi, despite problems that have lasted for a long time, now provides aide to other countries in difficulty. In the past, it was said that Burundi was an inaccessible country, a country with problems and one that has experienced embargoes. 聽But now, it is said that Burundi impresses many countries and the international community.

[2] With the Vision 2025, it is important that the government increasingly withdraws from the business community and allows the private sector to grow.

[3] Head well-made literally, but referring to a holistic educational approach.