YouSaid · the spoken record

Shingiro

lines on the record: 336
first: 2013-01-24
most recent: 2019-10-30
sittings or episodes: 20
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“In conclusion, Burundi reiterates its commitment to the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and its determination to strengthen democracy, consolidate peace and security and achieve balanced, inclusive and lasting socioeconomic development in the interests of the Burundian people.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“The current political and security situation in the country does not represent a threat to international peace and security, which would justify Burundi remaining on the Security Council agenda. We reiterate our legitimate call for Burundi to be removed from the Council agenda. The arbitrary retention of Burundi on the Council's agenda is likely to set a bad precedent. The holding of unnecessary meetings on Burundi, which are notjustified by the reality on the ground, will destabilize the country rather than promote peace and calm. Some troublemakers take advantage of that to commit crimes in the days leading up to each Security Council meeting.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“With regard to our relationship with the United Nations - and this is an extremely important point - we welcome the role played by the United Nations country team in Burundi in assisting national efforts to implement the national development plan, the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework for 2019 to 2023. The Government of Burundi commits to working constructively with the United Nations country team in Burundi so as to achieve lasting socioeconomic development in the interests of all Burundians. However, we remain convinced that having the situation in Burundi on the Security Council agenda is inappropriate and violates the Charter of the United Nations.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“We hope to encourage our traditional and non-traditional partners to focus on the future of Burundi and to move forward together, putting aside the short-lived misunderstanding in 2015. It is now time to rebuild trust among us, to review things that did not work and to put them right in a spirit of mutual trust. We must acknowledge the political realities and prevent any relapse. Continued confrontations are counterproductive in all areas and for all parties. For its part, the Government of Burundi reaffirms its readiness to improve bilateral relations with its development partners. Against that backdrop, the country's highest authorities have recently again dispatched ambassadors to those countries where bilateral relations were disrupted following 2015.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“We cooperate closely with international mechanisms accepted by all, such as the Universal Periodic Review, which reviews the human rights situation in each Member State without singling out States. Most recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review are being implemented by the Government of Burundi. As an example, the Government regularly carries out impartial, independent and effective investigations into proven cases of alleged human rights violations reported to it so that all perpetrators without exception are rapidly brought to justice and punished in accordance with the law. Regarding the rebuilding of trust between Burundi and our bilateral partners, the Government of Burundi is striving to resume peaceful relations with our development partners, in particular those that have wavered since 2015.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“The most recent group, composed of 252 refugees from 134 households, arrived yesterday in Kobero in Muyinga province, on our northern border with Tanzania. Such mass voluntary returns are clear evidence that peace, harmony, trust and stability have been restored to the country, despite the comments of some foreign actors who continue deliberately to inflate the number of refugees still in exile in order to keep Burundi in artificial crisis mode and to maintain jobs. Turning to the human rights situation, the Government of Burundi is continuing its efforts to improve the situation and the promotion of human rights through a number of national mechanisms that have been established, in particular the Independent National Human Rights Commission.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“The United Nations, through its country team and the Burundi configuration ofthe Peacebuilding Commission, can serve as a bridge between Burundi and its partners in mobilizing the resources needed to complement our national efforts to implement Burundi's new development strategy. With regard to the humanitarian situation, we welcome the mass voluntary returns of Burundian refugees who fled the country in 2015. Beyond the several thousand Burundians who are returning without assistance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, between 1 August 2017 and 29 October - that is, yesterday - 79,375 refugees, belonging to 26,739 households, were voluntarily repatriated to Burundi from Tanzania, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“Our participation in peacekeeping around the world is our way of repaying the international community, which has always supported us during difficult periods in our history. The full value of our substantial contribution to peace operations and the fight against terrorism should be recognized and appreciated in that regard. In terms of development, the greatest challenge facing Burundi today is the fight against poverty, the common enemy of all Burundians of all political and social stripes. It was in that context that the Government of Burundi developed and finalized our new 10-year national development plan, and we are seeking the support of our traditional and non-traditional partners in helping us to implement the plan.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“A plan has been developed for securitizing the 2020 electoral process and training programmes in several areas related to the elections are being implemented, with a view to preparing for their overall security. The restoration of peace, stability and trust in the country is transforming the national landscape. Today all Burundians, in their rich diversity, feel safe, protected and able to freely participate in the political process without fear or restriction. Political and social discourse is conducted with mutual respect and tolerance and acceptance of those different from ourselves. In terms of collective security, we continue to participate actively in the fight against terrorism and in peace operations, with approximately 6,000 troops in contingents on the ground, primarily in Somalia and the Central African Republic.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“The situation in Burundi is stable, calm and under control throughout the country, with the notable exception of a few isolated cases of common criminality such as occur in other countries. From north to south, west to east and in the centre, day and night, Burundian citizens enjoy their civil and political rights in peace. Officials of the United Nations and of subregional organizations who have recently visited the country have seen with their own eyes how peace and security have been restored in Burundi. Major efforts are under way throughout the country to preserve this longed-for peace, first and foremost by promoting Burundians' love of country and attachment to the intrinsic principles and values that our nation was built on.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“At the continental level, the Summit of Heads of State of the African Union, held on 10 and 11 February in Addis Ababa, congratulated the Government of Burundi on starting preparatory processes for the 2020 elections, particularly the creation of the Independent National Electoral Commission and a truth and reconciliation commission. It also welcomed the announcement by President Nkurunziza that he would not stand in the 2020 elections and urged the Government and the political parties to work together to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections. With regard to security, as stated in paragraph 58 of the report of the Secretary-General (S/2019/837), the Government of Burundi has made significant efforts to improve security conditions in the country.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“Still on the subject of elections, I would like to inform the Council that at the summit of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, attended by 120 member States in Baku on 25 and 26 October, the Heads of State and Government of the Movement called for the holding of free, transparent, inclusive and peaceful elections in Burundi in 2020. They congratulated the Government of Burundi on the steps it has already taken in preparing for these elections and welcomed its sovereign decision to finance the entire electoral process from the country's national resources.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“With regard to promoting an atmosphere conducive to the holding of peaceful and inclusive elections, among other things I would like to point to the expansion ofthe political space in the country through the approval of new political parties and the promotion of freedom of expression with the active support of the Government of Burundi; second, to the lifting of the suspension of opposition political parties that violated the law governing the functioning of political parties; third, our President's numerous announcements of his decision to voluntarily renounce his constitutional right to run in the 2020 presidential elections; fourth, the reception and reintegration of the large numbers of refugees returning to Burundi; fifth, the return to the country of opposition political leaders who fled the country in 2015, most recently on 5 October; sixth, the continued efforts to hold constructive political consultations within a forum of political parties in a spirit of openness and political tolerance, including at the levels of provinces and communes; seventh, increasing messages from political leaders to their followers focused on discipline, social cohesion and political tolerance; eighth, the Government's decision to create joint committees at the national level, including young people from all political parties, with a view to preventing violence during the elections; ninth, the commitment by political parties to consult regularly through the forum of political parties on all the problems facing the country; tenth, public statements by State officials deploring and condemning various isolated cases of violence and promoting social cohesion and peaceful coexistence; and lastly the release by presidential pardon at the beginning of the year of more than 2,000 prisoners, including young rioters and insurgents of 2015.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“While promising free, transparent and peaceful elections, we would like to remind anyone who tries to interfere without being expressly invited that in Burundi as elsewhere in the world, electoral processes are an internal affair that is exclusively a matter for national sovereignty. Any outside support must be provided only at the request of the Government of Burundi and in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. And no support gives anyone the right to any such interference.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“The fifth action was the Independent National Electoral Commission's publication of an electoral calendar detailing all polls planned for 2020. Sixth was the Commission's announcement of a period of partial voter registration for those who had been unable to register for the 2018 referendum. That partial registration for the electoral rolls will take place from 9 to 12 December, just about five weeks from now. As the Council can see, Burundians are already deep into the 2020 electoral process, and we continue to take ownership of it both organizationally and financially.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“First, the Kayanza road map leading to the holding of peaceful elections in 2020 was adopted following very broad consultations within the Burundian political class. Second, the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) is already operational and is regularly holding press conferences on the progress of the electoral process in full transparency in the presence of members of the international community based in Bujumbura. Third, the revised electoral code was adopted by the National Assembly in April by 105 to 108 votes. Fourth, the Government adopted the decision to finance the entire operational budget for the elections without recourse to external resources, which, as the Council is aware, are often unpredictable and contingent on other factors.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“My statement will focus on five points, namely, the political situation, which will be predominately influenced by the holding of the 2020 elections, the security situation in the country, the humanitarian situation, with particular emphasis on the return of refugees, the human rights situation and cooperation between Burundi and the United Nations, on the one hand, and between Burundi and bilateral partners, on the other. The political situation in the country is being shaped by preparations for the 2020 elections, which are progressing satisfactorily. National mechanisms dedicated to the holding of elections are already operational. While not citing an exhaustive list of the latter, I will cite in particular the following actions.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“Likewise, I must thank His Excellency Ambassador Jiirg Lauber, Chair of the Burundi configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, for his briefing and for all he has done for Burundi with regard to the peacebuilding process. We reassure him of our full cooperation. Before beginning the substantial part of my statement, I would like to note with regret that some delegations here continue to use the langue of 2015 instead of evolving with the pace of events in Burundi. I encourage them to leave behind the status quo and follow the flow of what is now happening in the country.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“As the Council is undoubtedly aware, during the exchange between the Secretary-General and our Minister for Foreign Affairs on the margins of the General Assembly on 27 September, the two came together on a decision with regard to ending the Special Envoy's mandate in November. Accordingly, I would be remiss were I not to thank the Special Envoy for having provided his professionalism, diplomatic expertise and wisdom to Burundi and the region in the context of the peace process in Burundi. I can safely say today that he ably accomplished his mission. He leaves behind a peaceful, stable and definitively reconciled country. For our part, we wish him happiness and success in all his personal endeavours and pursuits for the benefit of the international community in the future.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“Mr. Shingiro (Burundi) (spoke in French): At the outset, my delegation warmly congratulates you personally, Madam President, and your country, South Africa, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of October. Your extensive wealth of experience and your country's commitment to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law have been at the heart of the success of your presidency, which began resoundingly on 1 October. Let me also welcome the presence among us of His Excellency Mr. Michel Kafando, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8652 (2019) · source
“Any attempt to create a new role or redefine an existing role in favour of the United Nations rather than Burundians in Burundi's elections would encroach on national sovereignty and be a flagrant violation of the Charter, which states in Article 2 that "[n]othing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter". I would like to end my statement with that quotation. I thank you once again, Mr. President, for convening today's meeting. I hope it will be the Council's last meeting on Burundi.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“The second major project, which is very important to us right now, is the organization of the 2020 elections, which are an internal matter exclusively of national sovereignty. Support to this process can be provided only at the request of the Government of Burundi, in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“There are some who seek to revive it in subtle ways that are less apparent and difficult to detect at first glance but that fortunately do not escape our vigilance. In conclusion, my delegation would like to highlight two major projects that are now the focus of the Burundian people, the 2020 electoral process and the implementation of our national development plan. The principal one is the process of implementing the development plan, which covers a lO-year period from 2018 to 2027. The Government of Burundi has committed to redoubling its efforts to mobilize domestic resources to fund a majority of the priorities that have been identified. We also thank the United Nations country team in Burundi for its support and invite our partners to contribute to it if they wish.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“Such double standards and disproportionate, unfair pressure will not bring us to our knees, 57 years after the end of colonialism in our country, a nightmarish period in our history from which the Burundian people are still trying to awaken. Foreign actors must stop infantilizing the Burundian people, who are proud, dignified and very attached to their political independence and ubuntu values. They are mature enough to handle their own affairs without any foreign interference, whether near or far from our borders. Any attempt to meddle in our domestic affairs uninvited will always bump up against our patriotic response, as it did during the regime-change conspiracy in 2015. We are aware that the 2015 plot is not yet dead and buried.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“Such unnecessary meetings indirectly encourage the 2015 putschists who fled the country and are being pursued by Burundian justice. We therefore reiterate our legitimate call for taking Burundi off the Security Council's agenda and allotting the precious time spent on Burundi to the world's many other hotspots. Burundi's place is with the United Nations agencies and programmes that address socioeconomic development, with a view to supporting our efforts to implement our national development plan and the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We repudiate the unjustified political and diplomatic aggression against Burundi and its people. Muscular diplomacy must give way to mutually beneficial and respectful cooperation.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“Beyond our national efforts, the support of our partners in the reception and socioeconomic reintegration of the thousands of returning refugees remains essential, and the same applies to local host communities. With respect to Burundi as an item on the Security Council's agenda, it is clear that we are on it for political reasons and external interests that have nothing to do with the welfare of the Burundian people. Our current political and security situation is no threat to international peace and security and does not justify arbitrarily keeping my country on the Council's agenda. The continued series of meetings on Burundi, which have nothing to do with the reality on the ground, is a destabilizing factor rather than one that promotes peace and tranquillity.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“Besides the thousands who have returned on their own without assistance from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, between 1 August 2017 and 29 May of this year, 70,285 refugees have been voluntarily repatriated to Burundi, primarily from Tanzania but also from Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic. Only a few days ago, on 11 June, just this week, 397 refugees returned to the country from neighbouring countries through Burundi's southern border. The massive voluntary return movement is clear evidence of the restoration of peace, tranquillity and stability in Burundi, despite the comments of various foreign actors, who continue to deliberately inflate the number of refugees still in exile in order to keep Burundi in a state of artificial crisis.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“That positive assessment is shared by all the well-intentioned regional and international actors who have visited our country since 2017, most recently President Felix Tshilombo Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic ofthe Congo, who made a working visit today to meet with his Burundian counterpart President Pierre Nkurunziza to discuss issues of common bilateral, regional and international interest. On the humanitarian front, we are pleased with the massive voluntary return of the Burundian refugees who fled the country in 2015.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“For their part, as a matter ofprinciple, the people of Burundi will remain opposed to any attempt at foreign interference at any time, anywhere and under any circumstances, whether by a State or a regional or international organization. The security situation is generally excellent throughout Burundi. From north to south, west to east and in the centre, day and night, Burundian citizens are enjoying their civil and political rights in complete peace of mind.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“The foreign actors who apparently want to take the dialogue issue away from Burundi, despite the fact that facilitation ended on 1 February, have three objectives. The first is destabilizing Burundi on the eve ofthe 2020 elections. The second is encouraging the putschists of 2015, who are now on the run and sheltered, fed and protected by the same actors who have been attacking Burundi, diplomatically and politically, since 2015. The third is distracting Burundians' attention from the important things, which are the organization of the 2020 elections and the implementation of the national development plan. When the time comes, all of those outside actors will have to face up to their responsibility for the consequences of their interference in matters that come under Burundi's sovereignty. Burundians and the world are watching.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“On the whole, the dialogue among political parties in Burundi with regard to the holding of elections in 2020 is taking place in a spirit of openness and political tolerance. We want to point out that almost all of the decisions that have been taken in Burundi in that regard, including the Kayanza road map for peaceful elections in 2020, the establishment of the CENI, Parliament's adoption of the electoral code and the return to the country of several political leaders who fled in 2015, have been on a basis of consensus. Among them are former national Presidents and Vice-Presidents, parliamentarians and other senior Government officials who have now been reintegrated into their political and professional lives.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“Moreover, on the organizational aspect of the elections, at their summit in February the Heads of State and Government of the African Union congratulated the Government of Burundi for initiating the preparatory process for the 2020 elections, in particular the establishment of the Independent National Electoral Commission and of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The summit also welcomed the statement by President Nkurunziza that he would not stand for the presidential elections in 2020, while also urging the Government and the political parties to work together for the smooth conduct of the forthcoming elections. On the same occasion, the Heads of State and Government of the African Union reiterated their request to the European Union to immediately lift the unilateral and immoral sanctions against Burundi and its people.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“The decision of the President of the Republic to renounce voluntarily his constitutional right to run in the 2020 elections is a gesture of high political and democratic value that could serve as an example across the continent and elsewhere. The release earlier this year of more than 2,000 prisoners, including the young rioters and insurgents from 2015, is also part of this campaign to promote reconciliation and political tolerance before the major electoral event in 2020 and beyond.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“The revised electoral code was adopted by the Burundian Parliament in April by deputies of the ruling party and the opponent Agathon Rwasa together in a climate of compromise and spirit of mutual exchange, and by a tally of 105 votes out of 108. The Council can see that the electoral code is consensual. The decision was also made to finance the entire electoral cycle with national resources. The political space in the country was expanded with the approval of Mr. Rwasa's new opposition party, the Congres national pour la liberte. Contrary to what is being said, that party continues to open new offices within the country without any interference.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“Preparations for the 2020 elections are at a very advanced stage, both in terms of organization and budget. National mechanisms for the preparation of elections are gradually being put in place, while calming measures to promote a climate conducive to the holding of peaceful elections next year are steadily increasing. Without being exhaustive, I would mention the following measures. The Constitution of 7 June 2018 is already the primary fundamental legal framework for the organization of the 2020 elections. The Kayanza road map to peaceful elections in 2020 was adopted with broad support from the entire political class. The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) has already been established and is operational.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“Others are experiencing an identity crisis. Still others are experiencing acute social crises, while others are experiencing all three. And yet they continue to worry about Burundi. That was just a brief side note. Although this meeting was imposed on us, it is my pleasure to participate and give the Council an overview of the situation in my country since the previous Council meeting on Burundi on 19 February (see S/PV.8465). I hope this will be the last briefing on Burundi, which has rightfully requested over and over again to be removed from the Council's busy agenda. As my colleague Ambassador Lauber said so well, who has first-hand information following his visit to Burundi last month, I can confirm that since 2017 the political and security situation in Burundi has been calm and stable and is fully under control.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“Lastly, I wish to thank the other members of the Council who make every effort to support compliance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations in the Council's handling of the situation in Burundi. Once again, we regret that a few countries continue to maintain the same stubborn positions that they have had for more than four years, instead of looking at the situation in Burundi objectively and with discernment. Some have gone further, forming a coalition of five and calling for an unnecessary meeting on Burundi last month, as if there were an emergency in the country (see S/PV.8538). What is surprising in all of that is that some of those countries that have been taking aim at us for four years without interruption are also having trouble. Some of them are experiencing major institutional crises.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“Fourthly, and finally, they called for the lifting of the sanctions weighing on Burundi. Those were the four substantive points of the decision made at the summit of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union in February, while Mr. Chergui's comments were connected to what was said at the summit that took place in Nouakchott in 2018 - one year ago. I think the expert who prepared his statement used the content of the 2018 summit instead of the summit that took place three months ago. We are therefore of the view that the decision of the Heads of State made during the summit take precedence over other considerations and supersede what was said by the secretariat of the African Union. I wanted to make that distinction before continuing.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“I would also like to thank the African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security, my dear friend and brother Mr. Smai'l Chergui, for his contribution to this briefing via video-conference from African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, although some of his remarks departed dangerously from the decision made by the Heads of State and Government of the African Union at their summit on 10 and 11 February. The Heads of State articulated a four-point message at the summit. They first congratulated the Government of Burundi on its preparations for the 2020 elections. Secondly, the Heads of State and Government welcomed the statement by President Pierre Nkurunziza that he would not stand for the 2020 elections. Thirdly, they made an appeal for peaceful elections in Burundi.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“Mr. Shingiro (Burundi) (spoke in French): As this is the first time I take the floor under your presidency, Sir, I would like to express our warmest congratulations to you personally and to your country, Kuwait, on your well-deserved accession to the presidency of the Security Council for the month of June. Knowing your commitment to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the rule of law at the international level, I am particularly pleased to see you presiding over the Council for the second time during your two-year term. Let me also thank my colleague Mr. Jiirg Lauber, Chair of the Burundi configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission for his constructive contribution to this debate following his visit to Burundi from 6 to 10 May.”
2019-06-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8550 (2019) · source
“It is time for "1055 who are 311" wavering to stubbornly ignored these multiple calls for Burundi come down 0" the right Slde ofhlstory. to be removed from the Council's agenda, and it is The meeting rose at 5.10p.m.”
2019-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8465 (2019) · source
“I cannot conclude my remarks without reiterating once again what has now become my slogan before the Council - our usual and legitimate appeal to the Security Council to remove the issue of Burundi from its agenda. We maintain that the current political and security situation in the country in no way constitutes a threat to international peace and security that could justify its being arbitrarily maintained on the Council's agenda. The series of meetings on Burundi, held on the basis of resolution 2303 (2016), which is now essentially obsolete, could become yet another factor ofdestabilization instead ofpromoting peace and calm. beginning to feel like an eternity for the people of For four years, a handful of external stakeholders have Burundi.”
2019-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8465 (2019) · source
“The dangerous tendency of certain States to seek to transform the Human Rights Council into a tool for exerting political pressure and regulating geopolitics in the countries of the South risks undermining the objectives set by Member States when the Human Rights Council was established on 15 March 2006 through General Assembly resolution 60/251. The drift towards the excessive politicization of human rights and the policy of selectivity and double standards run counter to the principles of the universality of human rights. The Government of Burundi is more committed than ever. Dialogue and cooperation based on mutual trust will always be the cornerstone of its initiatives in the process of promoting human rights.”
2019-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8465 (2019) · source
“As the Chair ofthe Burundi configuration ofthe Peacebuilding Commission so aptly noted, besides national efforts, this ambitious reconciliation process requires the support of all. On the promotion and protection of human rights, Burundi reiterates its readiness and its will to cooperate with other countries and the United Nations in promoting the protection of human rights in Burundi and elsewhere in the world, based, of course, on the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations. This noble mission will be feasible only through mutually respectful cooperation, frank and sincere dialogue among Member States, and the use of mechanisms accepted by all, such as the Universal Periodic Review.”
2019-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8465 (2019) · source
“The establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, in line with the Arusha Agreement, is crucial in our country, above all in moving towards a Burundi that is reconciled with its past, which was characterized not only by glorious events but also by fratricidal wars whose scars remain fresh in many of our families and communities. Beyond rewriting the history of Burundi, which has often been falsified, the Commission must carry out an important and sensitive undertaking aimed at healing wounds, restoring the dignity of victims and expressing gratitude to those who protected others during the various crises that Burundi has gone through, slowly but daily working to clear the path towards national reconciliation in our country.”
2019-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8465 (2019) · source
“Speaking of the civilian character of refugee camps, Burundi accepted the public excuses of UNHCR authorities following the startling discovery by the Tanzanian authorities of more than 1,500 military uniforms distributed by UNHCR under unclear conditions in refugee camps in Tanzania. My delegation hopes that such a questionable undertaking, which could have destabilised my country, will not recur. For its part, the national reconciliation process is continuing under the leadership of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Its mission is to inquire into and establish the truth about the serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law committed in Burundi during the period from 26 February 1885 to 4 December 2008, when the armed conflict in Burundi ended.”
2019-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8465 (2019) · source
“By way of illustration, today alone UNHCR repatriated from Tanzania 595 Burundians, including 177 families, through the Mugina border crossing, in Makamba province, in the southern part of the country. To properly manage this process, my delegation wishes once again to reiterate its call on UNHCR and on friends of the region to intervene with certain host countries who are holding hostage some exiled compatriots by erecting artificial obstacles to their voluntary return home, and to ensure that refugee camps retain their civilian character, in keeping with the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.”
2019-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8465 (2019) · source
“President, for having chosen to consider this important issue during your presidency, towards the end of the month, on 27 February, I believe. This renewed confidence demonstrated in Burundi by the States members of the African Union is fresh evidence of the credibility of Burundian diplomacy and its increasing role in the maintenance of international peace and security at the regional and international levels. On the return of refugees, in 2018 we received 58,262 voluntarily repatriated people returning from Tanzania, the Congo, Kenya and Uganda, as well as several thousand others who returned without the help of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The voluntary return movement is tremendous, averaging more than 1,000 returns a week.”
2019-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8465 (2019) · source
“The laudable work carried out by all of our peacekeepers, who have voluntarily chosen to sacrifice their lives to save those of others, far from their home countries and in particularly hostile conditions, must be rightly appreciated. Among other things, we must refrain from any differentiated treatment of our troops as a tool of political pressure. Operational capacity in the context of the implementation of United Nations peacekeeping mandates should be the main criterion for the evaluation of soldiers in peacekeeping missions. Burundi, which has just been elected as a member of the African Union Peace and Security Council, will remain deeply committed, alongside other nations, to promoting peace by silencing the guns in Africa by 2020. I wish to congratulate you, Mr.”
2019-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8465 (2019) · source
“These are politically motivated, immoral sanctions, imposed in violation of the Charter of the United Nations and of the duty of international solidarity. The near-automatic renewal of the sanctions each year, without taking account of the remarkable progress that has been made since 2015, should by any line of thinking cease so as to give a chance to frank and sincere dialogue aimed at a resumption of mutually beneficial and respectful cooperation. Iturn now to Burundi's contribution to peacekeeping operations and to the fight against terrorism at the continental level. Burundi has contributed more than 6,000 soldiers to United Nations and African Union peacekeeping operations, mainly in Somalia and the Central African Republic.”
2019-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8465 (2019) · source