Politics

Fifth round of talks to take place without government participation?

After the launch of the 5th dialogue session was postponed to 25 October, the facilitator in the Inter-Burundian dialogue consulted with participants in the morning of 24 October at Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge in Arusha, Tanzania.

Ambassador David Kapya: “There has not been so far a formal response from Burundi government.”

Ambassador David Kapya: “There has not been so far a formal response from Burundi government.”

Ambassador David Kapya, Senior Advisor at the office of the facilitator in the Inter-Burundian dialogue has said the facilitator met politicians and the special envoys of the International Community.

He has however said there has not been so far a formal response from Burundi government stating whether or not it will attend the 5th round. Ambassador David Kapya says the facilitator will conduct the dialogue session in order to have a consensual document. “Participants in the 5th round will work to adopt a document. We want to move forward,” he says.

In the early morning of 25 October, the facilitator is expected to open the consultations which will go on until 29th October.

Charles Nditije, member of the opposition platform in exile-CNARED, says he believes that the discussion will focus on the respect for the Arusha Agreement, the constitution that resulted from it and how participants will take part in the 2020 elections after signing a consensual document that would lead to peaceful elections.

The free politicalspace, facilitation of the repatriation of all Burundian refugees, removal of all arrest warrants and allowing all political leaders to participate in the 2020 elections would be on the agenda. He, however, says the expectations might not be reached given that Burundi government has not shown its will to find solutions to all of these issues.

Chauvineau Mugwengezo, chairman of UPD party and member of CNARED says it will be a serious problem if Burundi government does not attend the 5th round of the Inter- Burundian talks. “The international community and other participants are still waiting for Bujumbura delegation,” he says..