Burundi is a landlocked country in East Africa. It borders Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Most of the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo lies in Lake Tanganyika. With an estimated GDP of around 261 US dollars per capita, the country has the lowest gross domestic product per capita in the world.
Entry requirements
A visa is required to enter Burundi. Tourists receive one that is
valid for 30 days at all land borders and at the airport. Otherwise:
Embassy of the Republic of Burundi in Germany, Berliner Straße 36, 10715
Berlin (Wilmersdorf). Tel.: +49 30 2345670, email:
info@burundi-embassy-berlin.com. (also accredited for Austria) Price: 1
month: € 65, 3 months: € 95
Section consulaire de l'Ambassade, Rue de
Lausanne 44, 1201 Geneva. Tel.: +41 22 7327705, Email:
mission.burundi217@gmail.com.
The prerequisite for the issuance
of the visa is an invitation, which is accepted by a specialized travel
agency. The processing time is given as three weeks; there are visas
with a validity period of one and three months. The visa can be applied
for in Germany by post; you do not have to appear at the embassy on
site. However, if you don't live in Germany, you will need a stamped
return envelope, preferably with a registered stamp.
Airplane
There are direct flight connections from Europe to Burundi (Bujumbura
Int'l (BJM)). Brussels Airline flies to Bujumbura twice a week. Ethopian
Airways offers flights from Frankfurt am Main via Addis Ababa; Kenya
Airways/KLM flies to Burundi via Nairobi.
Bus
Car/motorcycle/bicycle
Land border crossings include: Gatumba
(Democratic Republic of Congo), Kobero and Mugina (Tanzania).
Kirundi and French are the two official languages, and Kiswahili is also spoken.
The exchange rate "on the street," i.e. at private money changers, is about 50% better. As of November 2019, there were officially around 2000 Burundi francs (called "frambu") per euro. If you exchanged black you got 3000 per US dollar.
At the end of 2019, meals in local restaurants in the market area cost 700-1000 BuFr for vegetarian dishes and 1-2000 BuFr for meat dishes. A bottle of drinking water 1000 BuFr.
Burundi is one of the smallest countries in Africa, but – like its neighboring country to the north, Rwanda – is densely populated. Located between Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika, the country is crossed by a high plateau (1400-1800 meters), which gradually rises and reaches the highest point in Mont Heha at 2684 meters. This mountain range on the edge of the distinctive East African Rift Valley falls steeply towards the interior of the rift valley filled by Lake Tanganyika.
The climate is tropical-humid with two rainy seasons. The temperatures are moderated by the altitude. Rainfall averages 1000 mm per year.
The East African landlocked country is hydrologically divided roughly in half into two catchment areas. The slightly larger part of the country, 50.6%, drains via Lake Tanganyika into the Congo or the Atlantic, the other part via the Kagera and then the Nile into the Mediterranean. The Luvironza has its source in the mountains, which flows into the Ruvuvu and represents the longest and southernmost source river of the Nile. The source of the Nile is about 45 kilometers east of Lake Tanganyika between Bururi and Rutana.
The diverse wildlife includes
leopards, lions, baboons, zebras and antelope species. Crocodiles and
hippos live in the rivers.
The high population growth and the
resulting overexploitation of the landscape has led to the habitats of
the once species-rich animal world being severely restricted or
destroyed. Many of the typical African animal species only exist as
remnants, are on the Red List, or are already extinct. Burundi would
also be almost completely covered by very different and species-rich
forest communities. These were massively cut down in favor of
agricultural land or for charcoal production: between 1990 and 2020
alone, Burundi lost a forest area of 117,000 ha (40.5% of the forest
cover). Reforestation efforts often use fast-growing and non-native
species such as eucalyptus.
Burundi has a centuries-old history as a separate monarchy, the
Kingdom of Burundi. At the end of the 19th century, as part of the
division of Africa among the major European powers, it was assigned to
Germany and, together with “Rwanda”, was placed under the colony of
German East Africa as “Urundi”. The Germans limited themselves to
indirect rule in the form of residency; As in British protectorates, the
German resident controlled and advised the local ruler. At the same
time, missionary work began, in which the Catholics prevailed. The
country was conquered by Belgian forces during the First World War and
then awarded to Belgium by the League of Nations as part of the mandated
territory of Rwanda-Urundi.
In 1959, while Rwanda-Urundi was
preparing for independence, there was an influx of refugees from
displaced Tutsis from Rwanda, which subsequently led to increased racial
thinking within Burundi (especially between Tutsi and Hutu) due to
recurring conflicts in the border area. Burundi's political history is
also marked by massive tensions, rivalries and clashes between various
Tutsi factions. In November 1959, serious unrest broke out between Hutu
and Tutsi for the first time, which was suppressed by the Belgians.
Monarchy 1962 to 1966
The UPRONA founder and Ganwa Prince Louis
Rwagasore became head of government in 1961 and was supposed to lead the
country to independence. His assassination a few weeks after the
election was the start of decades of power struggles, which, however,
did not prevent the independence that the Kingdom of Burundi gained in
1962 as a constitutional monarchy under King Mwambutsa IV. Rwagasore's
successors, including both Hutu and Tutsi, were overthrown or
assassinated. In October 1965, a Hutu uprising was bloodily suppressed;
there were around 5,000 dead.
In 1966, Prime Minister Captain
Michel Micombero (Tutsi) overthrew King Ntare V Ndizeye, who had
recently come to power in a coup, and abolished the monarchy.
Micombero combined the positions of head of state and government in
one person for the next ten years. This period saw many unrest and
fighting between Hutu and Tutsi, the most serious of which occurred in
1972 to 1973; Probably between 150,000 and 200,000 Hutus fell victim to
them. The army specifically persecuted well-trained Hutus. The killings
are sometimes described as “bordering on genocide”.
Many Hutus
fled to neighboring countries, especially Rwanda and Tanzania, but also
to Zaire (now DR Congo). They founded political movements there,
including TABARA, from which PALIPEHUTU emerged in 1980. This
interpreted the political conflicts in Burundi in purely “ethnic” terms
– as repression against Hutu – and opted for armed struggle. The armed
wing of PALIPEHUTU was trained in the refugee camps in western Tanzania.
Over the years, several parties with armed wings had formed (most
notably FRODEBU and PALIPEHUTU-FNL, later also CNDD-FDD) that claimed to
represent the interests of the Hutu. They were gradually included in the
negotiations as far as they were willing. Divisions within the rebel
groups complicated the negotiation process
Coup governments,
unity government, first elections, bloody ethnic conflicts from 1976 to
2000
In the course of a military coup in 1976, Colonel Jean-Baptiste
Bagaza (Tutsi) came to power, and later Major Pierre Buyoya (Tutsi) came
to power in a new military coup in 1987. Buyoya initially sought
reconciliation with the Hutu. In August 1988, following the murder of
two Hutus, another Hutu uprising broke out, which was once again
repelled and resulted in 24,000 to 50,000 deaths. A unity government was
then formed, consisting of half Tutsi and half Hutu. Buyoya allowed
elections for the first time in 1993, which brought the Hutu Melchior
Ndadaye and the FRODEBU party to the presidency. After his murder in the
same year, which was again accompanied by bloody riots against Tutsi and
Hutu and the flight of 300,000 Hutus, his party colleague Cyprien
Ntaryamira (Hutu) took over the presidency. In the same year, the
Hutu-dominated Forces pour la Defense de la Democratie (FDD) was
founded.
Ntaryamira died in 1994 in an attack on Rwandan
President Juvénal Habyarimana's plane, which triggered the genocide in
Rwanda. His successor Sylvestre Ntibantunganya was overthrown by former
President Buyoya in 1996.
As a result, there was international pressure on the country. Negotiations led by the South African Nelson Mandela and the Tanzanian Julius Nyerere brought about the Arusha Peace Treaty in 2000, which, among other things, gave Hutu rebel groups access to the army. In 2001, an interim government was formed, initially headed by Buyoya. Part of the FDD under Pierre Nkurunziza split off as CNDD-FDD and went into opposition. By agreement, the Hutu Domitien Ndayizeye (FRODEBU) replaced President Buyoya in 2003 and ruled until the 2005 elections.
In 2005, Pierre Nkurunziza was elected president by both houses of parliament. In 2010 he was elected directly by the people following a change in electoral law. According to the constitution, he was not allowed to run again in 2015, but pointed out that his first election was through parliament and not as a direct election. An attempted coup on May 13, 2015 was repelled by the army; Once again around 170,000 people fled abroad. Nkurunziza and his party won the subsequent parliamentary and presidential elections in July, which were boycotted by the opposition. Observers rated the elections as not free and not credible.
In the May 2020 elections, Évariste Ndayishimiye was elected president.
Burundi is a presidential republic, the president is head of state
and was also head of government until 2020. From 2005 to June 8, 2020,
this was Pierre Nkurunziza, and from June 9, Pascal Nyabenda took over
on an acting basis (both CNDD-FDD). Nkurunziza was directly elected in
2010 and 2015, previously by both houses of parliament. The President
appoints two Vice Presidents. There has been a prime minister again
since June 2020.
In June 2020, Nkurunziza died in office. In the
presidential election in May 2020, his party colleague Évariste
Ndayishimiye was elected as his successor in the first round;
Nkurunziza's term would have ended in August.
Parliament is a
bicameral system consisting of the National Assembly and the Senate. The
legislative period is five years. The minimum 100 members of the
National Assembly are at least 60% Hutu, 30% Tutsi and 30% women. At
least three Twa MPs are represented, additional MPs are appointed to
fill quorums; since 2015 there have been 121 parliamentarians. The
CNDD-FDD has an absolute majority in the National Assembly elected in
2015. The Senate consists of 36 to 54 members, 36 members are elected by
electoral votes in the provinces; Each province has a Hutu and a Tutsi.
Additional Senate members may be appointed, including women, so that
their proportion is at least 30%, as in the National Assembly. Former
presidents are also members of the Senate.
The introduction of
women's suffrage began before independence: women were given universal
suffrage for the first time in the local elections of 1960. Even before
independence, the Legislative Decree of Rwanda-Urundi, issued by the
Belgian administration of the UN Trust Territory on August 17, 1961 (
L.D.R.U.) N° 02/269 women the general right to vote and to stand for
election, also at the national level. It was confirmed at independence
in 1962.
According to Amnesty International, the situation in the judicial
system is problematic. Torture, arbitrary arrests and severe
ill-treatment are commonplace. Human Rights Watch reported in a report
that extrajudicial killings, politically motivated attacks and killings
occurred by both the government and the opposition during and after the
2010 elections. UNICEF sees the situation of children in Burundi as
worrying. Around 25% of children between the ages of 10 and 14 do child
labor. Children are in prisons and experience sexual and gender-based
violence. The exploitation and abuse of street children, orphans and
disabled children into prostitution, servitude and child soldiers poses
a major challenge.
Homosexuality has been criminalized since
2008. Due to the new criminal law, homosexuality is now punished with a
prison sentence of between three months and two years or a fine of
between 50,000 and 100,000 BIF (equivalent to around 25-50 euros).
Numerous human rights organizations are trying to draw attention to the
situation with campaigns, including Human Rights Watch with the campaign
“Forbidden – Gays and Lesbians in Burundi”.
In connection with
the fighting since the second half of 2015, there have been repeated
serious injuries and deaths among the ranks of the opposition,
journalists critical of the government and human rights activists,
particularly in the former capital Bujumbura. According to international
media, these were targeted executions by the police; UN spokesman
Stéphane Dujarric spoke of summary shootings.
In October 2015, US
President Barack Obama informed Congress that he would exclude Burundi
from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) due to the ongoing
political crisis in the country. He also spoke of killings,
extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and torture. On November 22,
2015, Obama signed Executive Order 13712. It was titled: Blocking
Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Burundi.
Already in March 2015, the European Union reiterated its position on the
situation in Burundi. Accordingly, the EU believes that a permanent
political solution can only be found through dialogue and consequent
consensus, respecting the Arusha Agreement and the Constitution of
Burundi. On 18 May 2016, the Council of the European Union condemned the
attempted coup in Burundi, while expressing deep concern about the
situation in Burundi. On 22 June 2015, the Council expressed concern at
the number of victims and reported cases of serious human rights
violations since the beginning of the crisis. The Council also
reiterated its commitment to restrictive measures. On June 29, 2015, the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that
numerous UNHCR offices in neighboring countries noted an increase in
Burundian refugees. According to UNHCR, as of June 2015, 127,000 people
had registered as refugees in the neighboring countries of Uganda,
Tanzania, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. On 1 October
2015, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2015/1763. The decision made
the people:
Godefroid Bizimana, Deputy Director General of the
National Police
Gervais Ndirakobuca, Head of Cabinet of the
Presidential Administration
Mathias/Joseph Niyonzima, National
Intelligence Service official
Léonard Ngendakumana, former “Chargé de
Missions de la Présidence” and former General of the Army
sanctioned by the Council of the European Union. On 29 September 2016,
the Council extended the EU's restrictive measures against Burundi until
31 October 2017.
In April 2016, the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that nearly 260,000 people
had fled to surrounding countries since the crisis began in Burundi.
Tanzania took in the most refugees. The majority of them live in the
Nyarugusu camp in the Kigoma region, about 150 km from Lake Tanganyika.
It is currently called the largest refugee camp in the world due to the
large number of refugees. Most of the people who fled to Rwanda live in
the Mahama camp.
The Commission d'enquête sur le Burundi,
established by the UN Human Rights Council, submitted a detailed,
261-page report on the ongoing violation of human rights and crimes
against humanity in Burundi (Report final détaillé de la Commission
d'enquête sur le Burundi). September 2018. The report describes, among
other things, the crimes of the “Imbonerakure” militia used by the
government against unpopular people. In response to the report, the
Burundian government canceled the accreditation of all non-governmental
organizations operating in the country, except those that run hospitals
or schools.
In October 2016, Burundi initiated its withdrawal
from the International Criminal Court under Article 127 of the Rome
Statute. On October 27, 2017, Burundi became the first country to leave
the World Criminal Court. Despite the withdrawal, the court will
continue an investigation into possible war crimes that began in April
2016.
The Burundian Armed Forces (Force de Défense Nationale) have a strength of 20,000 men. There are also paramilitary units with a personnel strength of 30,000 men. In 2017, Burundi spent almost two percent of its economic output, or $64 million, on its armed forces.
There is currently no rail transport in Burundi.
For history
see: Main article: Rail transport in Burundi
In 2016, the entire road network covered around 12,322 km, of which
1,500 km were paved.
A significant part of the transport of goods
is carried out by bicycle couriers, sometimes with loads of up to 200
kg. “Attachment” to cars and trucks is widespread. Because of this and
the poor technical condition of the bicycles, there are many accidents.
In 2020, 9.4 percent of Burundi's residents used the internet.
According to the World Hunger Index, Burundi is the poorest country
in the world over the last 25 years. 42.6% of the population is hungry.
In 2007, the proportion of the population living on less than $1 a day
was 58%.
In a world hunger index by Welthungerhilfe, Burundi
ranks last among 119 developing countries and Eastern European
transition states. The reasons for hunger are the consequences of war,
overexploitation of the soil, high population density and the associated
lack of land. The latter is exacerbated by the return of refugees.
Since the end of the war, there has been a certain economic recovery
and the indicators of social development are also slowly improving.
According to the United Nations Human Development Index 2019, Burundi
ranks 185th out of 189 countries evaluated, and its poverty rate is
extremely high at over 70 percent.
Burundi is a typical agricultural country. The livelihood of around
85% of the residents depends on agriculture. The main crops grown are
bananas, cassava, corn, sweet potatoes, rice and vegetables, but millet
is also an important crop. Coffee and tea in particular are grown for
export. Coffee accounted for the largest share of exports in 1997,
accounting for 78.5%. Burundi has suffered greatly from the low world
market coffee prices in recent years.
Burundi has a relatively
high livestock population, but productivity and usability are low. Only
hides and skins from cattle, goats and sheep are exported. Fishing is
possible primarily on Lake Tanganyika; Fishing is of great importance
given the great shortage of protein-containing food.
Mineral resources are primarily nickel, cobalt, uranium, copper, platinum, vanadium, gold, tin, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, tungsten and lime.
In 2018, only 11% of the population had access to electricity, the lowest in the world. In cities, almost half of people had access to electricity, while in rural areas it was only 1.6%. As a result, Burundi also has very low energy consumption per capita.
In 2016, the state budget included expenses of the equivalent of 657 million US dollars, compared to income of the equivalent of 525 million US dollars. This results in a budget deficit of 4.2% of GDP. The national debt was $1.366 billion in 2002, or 234% of GDP, and since then the country has had large portions of its debt forgiven. In 2016, national debt was 47.2% of GDP.
The history and traditions of Burundi are embodied in a variety of
proverbs, poems and fables that are passed down through the generations
through oral tradition.
Rites of passage determine many
processes. Newborns are introduced into the family after a week with a
“Ujusohor ceremony”. They don't get their name until they are two years
old.
Music is highly valued in Burundi as part of everyday life
and of course as part of ceremonies and festivals. The “Maîtres Tambours
du Burundi” (“Master Drummers of Burundi”) delight the listeners with
rhythms typical of the country. Of particular note is the Royal Dance of
the Drums, a traditional ritual event in which a large group of drummers
- always in odd numbers - come together, play, dance and sing in order
to awaken the ancestors and drive out evil spirits. It is performed at
large parties or receptions of important visitors and is considered a
fundamental part of Burundian heritage and identity. In 2012, UNESCO
added The Royal Drum Ritual Dance to the Representative List of the
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.