{"id":9223,"date":"2026-06-12T13:23:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T13:23:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/?p=9223"},"modified":"2026-06-12T13:23:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T13:23:10","slug":"roundtable-on-burundis-presidency-of-the-african-union","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/roundtable-on-burundis-presidency-of-the-african-union\/","title":{"rendered":"Roundtable on Burundi\u2019s Presidency of the African Union"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Tuesday June 9<sup>th<\/sup> 2026, the Republic of Burundi marked a major diplomatic milestone by opening the proceedings of the Roundtable dedicated to its Presidency of the African Union (AU). This event, held under the patronage of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation, His Excellency Ambassador Edouard Bizimana, brought together public institutions, the diplomatic corps, international technical and financial partners, the private sector, civil society, universities, research centers, young people and the media.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-9226 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL2-279x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"279\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL2-279x300.jpeg 279w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL2-952x1024.jpeg 952w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL2-768x826.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL2-1428x1536.jpeg 1428w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL2-1904x2048.jpeg 1904w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 279px) 100vw, 279px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In his address, the Minister extended a warm welcome to the participants and welcomed the large turnout of these development partners. He also noted that Burundi\u2019s AU Presidency is a mark of confidence from the Member States. He highlighted the priorities or key areas of focus of the Burundian Presidency:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>Water sustainability: ensuring equitable access to a vital resource and anticipating climate-related challenges, a critical issue for health, agriculture and climate resilience.<\/li>\n<li>Regional security: strengthening mechanisms for the prevention and resolution of regional conflicts and peacebuilding.<\/li>\n<li>Inclusive education: improving the quality of education, an essential lever for promoting the empowerment of young people.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Empowerment of women and young people: promoting their active participation in governance and economic development.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Minister Bizimana took the opportunity to highlight Burundi\u2019s achievements at national, regional and continental levels, particularly in the areas of solidarity, diplomatic commitment and inclusive projects. He also emphasized the central role of African youth, stating that they are not only the continent\u2019s future, but also its present, its strength and its wealth.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He further noted that this Roundtable would serve as a forum for dialogue, equivalent to the traditional quarterly diplomatic briefing, providing an opportunity to discuss the situation in Burundi and its position on regional and global issues.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In her speech, Ms Violet Kakyomya, Representative of Development Partners and Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Burundi, emphasized that Burundi\u2019s AU presidency is not only a governmental responsibility but also a national opportunity. She reaffirmed the partners\u2019 commitment to supporting Burundi, mobilizing resources and sharing expertise so that the priorities set can be translated into tangible results for the African people.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The African Union Commission\u2019s Representative in Burundi stated in his speech that this presidency marks the country\u2019s diplomatic return to the international stage. He added that it provides an exceptional platform for aligning the Burundi Vision 2040\u20132060 with the African Union\u2019s Agenda 2063. According to him, Burundi will not be a mere observer, but a committed player in an Africa that plans, innovates and takes action.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Following were various presentations from distinguished panelists, all of whom converged on the challenge of the AU presidency: that of turning ambitions into concrete realities, i.e. mobilizing all stakeholders to transform this mandate into a strategic opportunity for the country and for the entire continent.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-9225 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL1-300x202.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"202\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL1-300x202.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL1-1024x690.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL1-768x517.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL1-1536x1035.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL1-2048x1380.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL1-110x75.jpeg 110w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Burundi\u2019s AU presidency is seen as a diplomatic recognition. After years of isolation, our country has been entrusted with the task of representing Africa in major international forums such as the G20 or the United Nations. This role as the continent\u2019s spokesperson, reflects the trust of African states in Burundi\u2019s ability to drive a pan-African dynamic. It also confers on the country greater visibility and enhanced legitimacy, following years of isolation on the international stage.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Various observations have suggested that the success of this presidency depends on Burundi\u2019s ability to unite:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li>AU Member States, to ensure continental coherence.<\/li>\n<li>Regional and international organisations, which provide expertise and funding.<\/li>\n<li>Civil society, which ensures an inclusive and participatory approach.<\/li>\n<li>The private sector, a driver of innovation and sustainable growth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Indeed, this presidency opens up a range of opportunities, notably for Burundi, enhanced diplomatic visibility and a strategic role in global debates, and for Africa, a unified voice on global issues, ranging from peace to sustainability and social inclusion.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-9228\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL6-300x200.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL6-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL6-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL6-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL6-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL6-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-9227\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL4-300x224.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"275\" height=\"205\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL4-300x224.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL4-1024x764.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL4-768x573.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL4-1536x1145.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PH-TABL4-2048x1527.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 275px) 100vw, 275px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In conclusion, the round table on Burundi\u2019s presidency of the African Union illustrates Burundi\u2019s clear determination to transform this mandate into a lever for collective mobilisation. By bringing stakeholders together around the continent\u2019s well-defined strategic priorities, Burundi intends to place its actions within future oriented pan-African dynamic focused on peace, sustainability and inclusion.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; On Tuesday June 9th 2026, the Republic of Burundi marked a major diplomatic milestone by opening the proceedings of the Roundtable dedicated to its Presidency of the African Union (AU). This event, held under the patronage of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation, His Excellency Ambassador Edouard Bizimana, brought together &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":9225,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9223","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9223"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9223\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9230,"href":"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9223\/revisions\/9230"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9225"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mae.gov.bi\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}