allAfrica.com: Burundi: Recent Developments, Including Cessation of Hostilities, Positive But Peace Process Faces Challenges (Page 1 of 2)

Burundi: Recent Developments, Including Cessation of Hostilities, Positive But Peace Process Faces Challenges

There had been several positive developments in Burundi, including the cessation of hostilities, but the peace process still faced significant challenges requiring a national willingness for compromise, and regional and international support that was coordinated and robust, the Security Council was told this morning.

Briefing the Council on behalf of Anders Liden, the new Chairman of the Burundi Configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission and Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations, was Ulla Strom, of the Swedish Mission. She said that the landmark 23 June biannual review of the Strategic Framework for Peacebuilding, undertaken by the Peacebuilding Commission and Government of Burundi, had resulted in concrete recommendations for all relevant stakeholders on several issues.

She noted that those recommendations had included implementation of the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement between the Government and the Palipehutu-FNL, security, justice and the promotion of the rule of law, land reform, socio-economic recovery and the gender dimensions of peacebuilding.

In the area of good governance, the biannual review had focused on creating the conditions for free and fair elections in 2010, she said. The elections represented a milestone for the consolidation of democracy and peace in Burundi. The review had recommended that a revised draft legal framework for the elections reflecting Burundi’s political reality should be presented to the National Assembly by December 2008. The Peacebuilding Commission had also called on all political parties to promote constructive dialogue, adhere to the electoral code of conduct, and respect the democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution.

She said that the review meeting had also stressed that the establishment of the National Independent Electoral Commission was essential for the preparation of the elections and had recommended that the Commission should be operational by the first half of 2009. In that regard, she was happy to note the 18 June presidential decree establishing a permanent National Independent Electoral Commission. She also encouraged the Government to consider soliciting support from the international community, including the United Nations, in preparations for and conduct of the next elections.

In the last few weeks, the Burundian Government had demonstrated a commitment to follow up on those recommendations, she said, adding that the Peacebuilding Commission stood ready to provide continued support for the 2010 elections, including in the development of a road map for their preparation.

She said that the biannual review had stressed the importance of implementing the 2006 ceasefire agreement between the Government and the Palipehutu-FNL, in accordance with the timeframes outlined in the revised programme of action to take forward the Burundi peace process. The return of the Palipehutu-FNL leader, Agathon Rwasa, to Bujumbura, the signing of the Magialesburg agreement on 11 June, and the meeting between President Nkurunziza and Mr. Rwasa on 18 August had been important steps forward. That positive momentum must be seized upon and every effort should be made to finalize implementation of the ceasefire accord by the end of the year, well in advance of the 2010 elections, in order to avoid the convergence of those two critical processes.

The successful implementation of that accord would be a vital step towards peace consolidation, she said, stressing that it would enable the country and its partners to focus on other critical challenges, including combating poverty, security sector reform, good governance, democratic consolidation and the fight against impunity. The Peacebuilding Commission would continue to support the Government in mobilizing adequate resources to meet those challenges.

She said that Sweden, together with other members of the Burundi Configuration, would continue to build on the excellent initiatives undertaken by the previous chair, Norway, under the untiring leadership of Ambassador Johan Lovald. She commended the Government and all national stakeholders for their constructive engagement in implementation of the Strategic Framework and the first biannual review. She also thanked the United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi for ably assisting the Peacebuilding Commission and the Government.

Providing an assessment of the situation, Burundi’s Permanent Representative Augustin Nsanze said a great deal had been accomplished in terms of good governance and more specifically on the aspects of democratic good governance, with “various ups and downs”. Often, Burundians had had to “hold our breath”, particularly when institutions had found themselves at a stalemate. Today, however, Parliament was functioning normally and the Government was less divided. The political party in power had been reconstructed and it had once again taken its role as the unquestioned leader. The opposition was playing its part, without endangering democratic institutions.

In one great step forward, a workshop had been held last week in the centre of the country on a framework for dialogue among the political parties, he continued. For the first time, as Burundi moved down the road, a genuine and frank dialogue had taken place, involving 34 political parties freely gathered there. Participation had been most active and enthusiastic, and the participants had requested that that framework be ongoing. They had proposed a specific checklist, if the framework for dialogue became permanent. The political parties were committing themselves to deal with amendments to the Constitution, a law on political parties, an electoral code and other legislative items vital to the citizens of Burundi.

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