Burundi’s president Evariste Ndayishimiye received a hero’s welcome from Ethiopia after attending the 36th ordinary Heads of state summit of the African Union that took place in Addis Ababa.
“We want youth to know they are capable of working without waiting to be employed by the government and this is what has been happening in Burundi with youth getting into entrepreneurship,” said Burundi president Evariste Ndayishimiye on his arrival at the Melchior Ndadaye international airport in Bujumbura.
“Youth should be an example in preserving peace and development in the country …we should now leave behind the issue of thinking it’s all about political affiliations,” he added.
During his visit in Addis-Ababa, Burundi president participated in various sideline events including the first ever African Union Youth Town-hall meeting, had several bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Africa and other international organizations.
Burundi deposited instruments for the ratification of the African Youth Charter during the inaugural Youth Town Hall meeting on the margins of the AU council meeting.
Burundi’s president Evariste Ndayishimiye was appointed as the African Union champion for the youth, peace and security agenda in Africa, he became the third vice president of the African Union.
Burundi is now expected to host the annual holding of the continental dialogue on youth, peace and security.
DRC-Rwanda Crisis
At the sidelines of the African Union Summit on February 17, 2023, Burundi president who is the current chairman of the EAC Heads of State Summit co-chaired with his counterpart from Angola João Lourenço a Mini- Summit on Peace and Security in the Eastern Region of the DRC.
“The crisis in Eastern DRC is not about two countries…this is a regional matter and we need to address it as a region. We are going to follow up all the decisions made to make sure they are implemented,” said President Evariste Ndayishimiye.
Both president Paul Kagame of Rwanda and DRC’s Felix Tshisekedi attended the conclave that saw a joint communique released calling for immediate ceasefire by the armed groups and call for dialogue to end the crisis in the eastern part of DRC.
A joint communique directed the withdrawal of all armed groups by 30th March 2023 from occupied areas.
The Heads of State recommended the formation of EAC Monitoring & Evaluation mechanism to complement expanded joint verification mechanism and adhoc verification mechanism.
Thousands of people have been displaced in the eastern part of DRC after fighting between Congolese army and M23 rebel group, Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels allegations that Rwanda have repeatedly denied.