Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Burundi
On Thursday, May 7, 2026, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation, His Excellency Ambassador Edouard Bizimana, received Mr. Sudhakar in audience. Dalela, Secretary in charge of economic relations at the Ministry of External Affairs of India, accompanied by his delegation as well as His Excellency Mr. Upender Singh Rawat , Ambassador of the Republic of India to Burundi.
Mr. Sudhakar Dalela was carrying a message addressed to Minister Edouard Bizimana and to His Excellency Évariste Ndayishimiye, President of the Republic of Burundi and current Chairman of the African Union, regarding the invitation to the work of the 4th India -Africa Summit scheduled for May 28-31, 2026 in New Delhi.
The discussions between the two officials focused on topics of common interest aimed at strengthening the good relations between the two countries. The talks centered particularly on cooperation in the areas of infrastructure development, energy, health, education, and agriculture.
During the discussions, Mr. Sudhakar Dalela also expressed his appreciation for African culture. It was with this in mind that he requested Burundi’s assistance in facilitating progress toward development within the African Union, given its current presidency.
Ambassador Edouard Bizimana responded favorably to this request, emphasizing that Burundi is pursuing its vision of becoming ‘’an emerging country by 2040 and a developed country by 2060.’’ He also noted that Africa currently represents a significant area of opportunity for the Indian population