Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Burundi
On 21 October 2026, His Excellency Ambassador Édouard Bizimana, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation, received Mrs. Serap Güler, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, who was on a working visit to Bujumbura.
On this occasion, Minister Édouard Bizimana welcomed his guest to Burundi, highlighting the country’s stability, renowned hospitality and the opportunities it offers for cooperation and investment. He also expressed his satisfaction with the excellent relations of friendship and cooperation that have united Burundi and Germany for many years.
In her remarks, Mrs. Serap Güler said she was honoured to be visiting Burundi for the first time. She praised the warm welcome she had received upon her arrival at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport, as well as the quality of the discussions held with Burundian officials.
The discussions focused mainly on prospects for strengthening bilateral relations and ways to further revitalise economic and development cooperation between the two countries. In this regard, Minister Édouard Bizimana called for closer cooperation between Germany and Burundi, particularly through the return of some German development partners, such as GIZ, and the inclusion of Burundi among the priority countries benefiting from cooperation and funding programmes.
The Minister also outlined the progress Burundi has made in implementing its development vision, which aims to transform the country into an emerging nation by 2040 and a developed country by 2060. He stressed that the Government remains firmly committed to pursuing the reforms and investments needed to achieve these strategic objectives.
Regarding Burundi’s image internationally, His Excellency Édouard Bizimana encouraged European partners to give priority to information from official sources and diplomatic missions present on the ground, in order to gain an objective understanding of the realities in the country.
The discussions also covered the security situation in the Great Lakes region. The Minister stated that Burundi remains a factor of stability in the region, while noting that continued insecurity in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to affect regional integration and development efforts. He particularly highlighted the humanitarian consequences of the situation, including refugee movements, and called on Germany to continue supporting ongoing diplomatic initiatives and regional peace mechanisms.
In response, Mrs. Serap Güler welcomed the progress Burundi has made in several sectors of national life and reaffirmed the importance of the longstanding ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. She stressed that her visit was a strong sign of Germany’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Burundi, both politically and economically.
Regarding development cooperation, the Minister of State expressed her willingness to convey Burundi’s concerns and priorities to European institutions in order to promote greater consideration of the country’s development needs. She also acknowledged the efforts made by the Government of Burundi, under the leadership of His Excellency Évariste Ndayishimiye, to promote peace and regional stability. She assured that Germany would continue to support initiatives in this area.
On human rights, Mrs Serap Güler congratulated Burundi on its progress on the international stage, particularly its renewed mandate on the United Nations Security Council and its engagement in multilateral forums. She encouraged the Government to continue its efforts to consolidate the progress achieved in this area.
She also stressed the importance of pursuing economic reforms aimed at improving the business climate and making Burundi more attractive to foreign investors. In her view, the country has significant strengths and numerous opportunities that could encourage productive investment.
At the end of the meeting, the two officials reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthening cooperation between Burundi and Germany. Minister Édouard Bizimana concluded by stressing that Burundi remains firmly committed to its development path and is ready to work closely with Germany on projects and initiatives that contribute to the prosperity of both peoples.