Burundi Conference in Geneva

On 29 and 30 October 2012, Burundi is hosting an international conference for its main development partners at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. This Central-African Republic is notably being supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, and a number of States including Switzerland. The objective of the Conference is to present preliminary results on Burundi’s recent development progress and to mobilize political and financial support for Burundi’s development plan, i.e., the so-called Strategic Framework for Growth and Poverty Reduction - SFGPR II - 2012-2015.

Among those representing Switzerland at this international conference is Paul Seger, the Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the UN in New York. Ambassador Seger is Chair of the so-called Configuration on Burundi at the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission. The Configuration is tasked with politically flanking and coordinating Burundi’s development efforts in the post-conflict situation, along with striving to integrate the key actors in implementing a common strategy on site.

As Ambassador Seger puts it, «Today, the difficult socio-economic situation and the rising prices are the major concerns of the people of Burundi.» He goes on to note that although the bloody conflict ended but a short time ago, the small Country has already made impressive strides forward: «Burundi deserves our full support.»

The Geneva Conference for Burundi’s Development Partners is also to be seen as an occasion to galvanize further progress in areas such as political opening, good governance, human rights and the rule of law. In particular, impunity must come to an end and extra-judicial executions must immediately be stopped.