Burundi’s partners conference: SRSG calls for international support

29 Oct 2012

Burundi’s partners conference: SRSG calls for international support

29 October 2012- The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office in Burundi (BNUB), Parfait Onanga-Anyanga today called on all participants at the Burundi' partners conference to support Burundi as the country is embarked on a lasting path of development and peace.

The two-day conference which is taking place in Geneva aims to present preliminary results on Burundi's recent development progress and to mobilize financial support for the Priority Action Plan; a Plan to implement Burundi's second generation Strategic Framework for Growth and Poverty Reduction (SFGPR) 2012-2015.

"This conference marks a milestone in Burundi's history, a clear sign that the country is now firmly embarked on a lasting path of development and peace. I wish to commend all participants for their support to Burundi and for the commitment you embody to ensuring a better life for its people", SRSG Onanga-Anyanga said.
In his statement, the UN top-official highlighted Burundi's significant progress over the past years, including the holding of two democratic elections since the end of the conflict, and a remarkable degree of stability. "This stability has, in turn, ensured the necessary space for renewed advances in social and economic development, as well as institution-building. In short, the conditions are in place for Burundi to make a decisive step forward in terms of development and peace consolidation, and we are here today to show our support for Burundi in this."
SRSG Onanga-Anyanga also stressed the country's challenges ahead, especially consolidation of democracy, reconciliation, respect for human rights and combat against poverty. "A large percentage of Burundians continue to live in extreme poverty, that many youth are unemployed and dream of an opportunity, and that malnutrition remains a serious issue. To permanently stabilize the hard-won peace, Burundi and its partners need to stay the course. And the approach required will be a comprehensive one. All gathered here know it would be foolish to imagine a peace that can survive without sustained development, or a meaningful security regime that can prosper without the promotion and protection of democracy and human rights."
Burundi's second generation Strategic Framework for Growth and Poverty Reduction (SFGPR) 2012-2015 focuses on the following policies: "Strengthening the rule of law, consolidation of good governance and promotion of gender equality"; "Transformation of the Burundian economy to bring about sustained growth and job creation"; "Improving the quality of, and access to, basic social services as well as strengthening social protection", and "Environmental and spatial management to bring about sustainable development".