Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Burundi
This Tuesday, August 25, 2026, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration, and Development Cooperation, H.E. Ambassador Édouard BIZIMANA, received in audience H.E. Mr. James Swan, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Head of MONUSCO, accompanied by Mr. Huang Xia, Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region.
The discussions focused on the evolving security and humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly in its eastern part, as well as on efforts aimed at fostering peace and stability in the Great Lakes region.
Welcoming his guests, Minister Édouard BIZIMANA extended his welcome to the United Nations representatives and reaffirmed Burundi’s appreciation for the United Nations’ commitment to peace and security in the region. He emphasized that Burundi supports the efforts undertaken by the United Nations Organization, particularly through MONUSCO, to contribute to the stabilization of eastern DRC and the protection of civilian populations.
The Minister indicated that Burundi remains particularly concerned by the security situation in the region and reaffirmed Burundi’s position in favor of restoring lasting peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Taking the floor, H.E. Mr. James Swan commended Burundi’s involvement in the pursuit of peace and security in the Great Lakes region. He notably recalled Burundi’s contribution to stabilization efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the sacrifices made by the country in operations aimed at restoring peace and security, particularly during the recapture of the city of Mogadishu in Somalia.
He also presented the main areas of MONUSCO’s action in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, notably the protection of civilians, the securing of populations and areas affected by conflicts, disarmament, and support for the repatriation process. In this regard, he referred to UN Security Council Resolution 2808 concerning the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The discussions also covered the various ongoing peace processes and mediation initiatives, notably the Washington and Doha agreements and initiatives, as well as efforts undertaken by the African Union and other African States to achieve a lasting solution to the crisis in eastern DRC.
Mr. James Swan underscored the importance of United Nations support for these African initiatives aimed at promoting peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
For his part, Minister Édouard BIZIMANA reiterated Burundi’s willingness to support all initiatives aimed at restoring peace and stability in eastern DRC and throughout the Great Lakes region. He stressed that security instability not only affects populations, with loss of life and displacements, but also constitutes an obstacle to the implementation of development projects in the region.
The Minister finally reaffirmed that the United Nations system can count on Burundi in the pursuit of peace, security, and stability in the Great Lakes region.