Burundian Minister of Foreign Affairs receives audience with EALA MP delegation

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation, His Excellence Ambassador Édouard Bizimana, received in audience a delegation of Members of Parliament from the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), led by the Honorable Victor Burikukiye, on November 4, 2026, in Bujumbura. This courtesy visit was part of a working mission carried out by the delegation in Burundi.
The discussions primarily focused on several concerns related to the functioning of EALA and the implementation of its mandates within the partner states of the East African Community (EAC).
In particular, the MPs drew the Minister’s attention to the challenges facing the organ’s legislative process. They expressed concern over the observed delays in adopting and domesticating EALA-passed laws at the member state level. According to them, certain legislations approved by the regional Assembly take a considerable amount of time before being reviewed and adopted by national Parliaments, which limits their effective enforcement.
The delegation also raised concerns regarding the proposed reform of EALA’s funding. In this regard, the MPs emphasized that the new budget guidelines being considered could pose a major challenge to the institution’s operations, particularly in a context where each partner state would be required to directly cover the allowances of its own MPs as well as certain related expenses.
Furthermore, discussions addressed the need to strengthen awareness among the Burundian population regarding the stakes of regional integration. The MPs noted that a significant portion of the population remains insufficiently informed about the role of EALA and the tangible benefits deriving from the regional integration process. They consequently advocated for the implementation of more sustained communication and awareness strategies to bring citizens closer to regional institutions.
They additionally raised the issue of financial contribution arrears from certain partner states, as well as the dissemination of laws adopted by EALA.
The issue of harmonizing EALA-adopted laws with national legal frameworks was also addressed. The parliamentarians highlighted certain challenges tied to the effective application of these texts within member states, particularly in Burundi.
Participants also pointed out that the publication of these texts in the official EALA Gazette, based in Uganda and primarily available in English, limits their accessibility to many populations across the region. They deemed it necessary to establish mechanisms for better popularization of these texts down to the community level to foster ownership among citizens.
The exchanges converged on the idea that publishing EALA laws in the Official Gazette of Burundi (Bulletin Officiel du Burundi – BOB) would be a relevant path to enhance their visibility and accessibility to the Burundian public.
Responding to all these concerns, His Excellence Ambassador Édouard Bizimana indicated that some of the issues raised fall under the institutional and legal framework of the East African Community and might require, if necessary, amendments to the EAC Treaty. He assured the delegation that these concerns would be forwarded to the competent authorities, notably the EAC Council of Ministers, so they can be examined and addressed with appropriate solutions.
Finally, the Minister reaffirmed the Government of Burundi’s commitment to regional integration and to strengthening cooperation within the East African Community. He wished the delegation every success in fulfilling its mission and assured them that the Ministry remains ready to maintain close collaboration with EALA to promote the shared goals of regional integration.