Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Burundi
On Thursday, May 28, 2026, in Bujumbura, His Excellency Ambassador Edouard Bizimana, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation, held an important meeting with representatives of private agencies involved in recruiting Burundian labor for employment abroad.
This meeting was part of a broader effort of consultation and dialogue aimed at strengthening the mechanisms for supervision, training, and protection of Burundian migrant workers. The discussions focused on several key points:
- Challenges in pre-departure preparation
Identifying the obstacles faced by candidates before departure in order to ensure better preparation and successful integration in host countries.
- Harmonization of best practices
Establishing common standards in training and supervision to ensure the quality and safety of migrant workers.
• Promotion of coordinated national approaches
Aligning the actions of private agencies with the strategic directions of the Government of Burundi for a better-regulated migration process that benefits the country.
The Consul General in Dubai shared insightful testimonies about the realities faced by Burundian workers abroad, highlighting both the opportunities and the challenges they encounter.
Following the discussions, His Excellency Minister Bizimana offered a range of advice to the representatives present, stressing their noble duty to care for Burundian girls and boys sent abroad, while ensuring their dignity and safety. This meeting marks an important step in the Burundian Government’s commitment to strengthening migration governance and protecting its citizens abroad. It also illustrates the importance of partnership between public institutions and private agencies in building a migration system that is safer, more human, and more effective.
The meeting followed visits made by the ministry to certain recruitment agencies, during which the ministry identified significant gaps.
During this meeting, in which the PAEJ took part, discussions focused on the PAEJ’s expertise in promoting young people’s financial empowerment, as well as its training and support capacity for young people. In this regard, collaboration between the PAEJ and migrant worker recruitment agencies, particularly in terms of training candidates, was considered.