Burundi has welcomed the European Union’s (EU) decision to lift aid and financial sanctions imposed on the country, reported Africa News.
On Monday, the EU Ambassador to Burundi Claude Bochu announced the EU has begun processes of lifting sanctions against Burundi that stop financial aid to the government.
The EU suspended its direct financial support to the Burundian government in March 2016 following the political crisis that was triggered by former president Pierre Nkurunziza’s controversial bid for a third term.
Notably, the EU was the biggest aid donor to Burundi, paying out some €60 million a year before sanctions were imposed.
In May this year, the EU working groups unanimously gave the direction to EU judicial institutions to revoke the suspension of the financial aid to the Burundian government, Bochu told a press briefing after meeting Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye.
The EU ambassador said the decision to lift the sanctions was taken following positive progress initiated by Burundi President Ndayishimiye in terms of promoting governance, rule of law, and human rights. He added that the EU is expecting more positive results.
Bochu added that the EU together with other partners like the African Development Bank has decided to finance the rehabilitation of the Port of Bujumbura and its surroundings before the end of this year and contribute funds to the country’s farming sector.
Jean Dieu Mutabazi, president of the National Observatory for the Prevention and Eradication of Genocide, War Crimes, and Crimes against Humanity, said the sanctions lift is a great development.
“We welcomed this news with great satisfaction because we have seen that the process of resuming cooperation between the EU and Burundi is progressing very well,” Mutabazu said.
He said he is hoping that the lifting of sanctions will lead to an effective resumption of cooperation.
“Since the 2020 elections, we can see that Burundi has entered a new era of openness, warming relations, and resuming cooperation,” Mutabazu added.
