Cooperation

European parliament demands suspension of support for Burundian peacekeepers abroad

Members of the European Parliament have adopted the resolution on Burundi which was proposed on 5 July. They call on the international community to follow closely the situation in Burundi despite the recent announcements of President Pierre Nkurunziza that he will not run for office in 2020 elections and that the constitution has not been amended for his interest.

Members of European Parliament have adopted a resolution on Burundi

Members of European Parliament have adopted a resolution on Burundi

Members of the European Parliament have pleaded for the suspension of the support of Burundian troops on their peacekeeping missions in Somalia and Central African Republic. “We call for the suspension of any additional payment to Burundian troops engaged in the peacekeeping missions of the United Nations and the African Union”, reads the resolution 2785.

Burundi provided 850 soldiers for the UN peacekeeping missions in 2008 and currently has over 5,000 troops in the African Union peacekeeping force-AMISOM. The EU is the biggest donor to Burundi for a program worth €430 million ($468 million) between 2014 and 2020.

In that resolution which has been adopted this July 12, the European parliament has also supported the decision of the European Union to suspend direct financial assistance to the Government of Burundi which came into force in March 2016.

Willy Nyamitwe, Senior Adviser to the Burundian President says the resolution contains some sort of animosity. “We wonder if the peaceful and security situation prevailing in Burundi does not disturb some people who contributed much to the destabilization of the country,” he says.