European Union lifts ban on Burundi’s Prime Minister

In a bid to intensify the bilateral relations between Burundi and the European Union, The European Union (EU) council lifted restriction measures on 3 Burundian Public figures including the country’s Prime Minister Gervais Ndirakobuca.

 “The intensification of relations between EU-Burundi has made it possible to lift article 96. Today The EU lifts the individual sanctions of 3 people including the Prime Minister. The EU will continue to support the development efforts and reforms undertaken by Burundi” twitted the European Union Embassy in Burundi.

As of the October 24, 2022, Council implementing regulation, the EU council decided to revoke its decision taken during the 2015 protests against Late President Nkurunziza’s 3rd term.

“On basis of a review by the Council, three persons should be removed from the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures as set out in Annex I to regulation (EU) 2015/1755,” reads the statement from the European council.

“In annex I to regulation (EU) 2015/1755 list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies referred to article 2) the following entities are deleted: Godefroid BIZIMANA, Gervais NDIRAKOBUCA and Leonard NGENDAKUMANA,” statement read.

The EU suspended direct aid to the Burundian government and institutions in 2016 after the deterioration of the security situation and alleged Human Rights violations by the government officials and institutions in 2015.

The EU parliament considered that Burundi was not in the compliance of with essential elements set out in article 9 of the Cotonou agreement in relation to human rights, democracy and the rule of the law.