On Friday, June 4, 2021, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Right Honorable Gelase Daniel Ndabirabe received in audience the Ambassador of the Netherlands. They exchanged on reviving and strengthening of relations between the two countries before they were tarnished since 2015.
Ambassador Jeroen Steeghs also wanted to know the position of Burundi vis-à-vis the vaccination of Covid-19. The Speaker of the National Assembly replied that Burundi is not in an alarming situation because the measures for prevention announced by the Ministry of Public Health and the fight against AIDS are adequate.
The Netherlands intends to intervene in the food security sector, the private sector to improve value chains and in the reproductive health sector on family planning given that Burundi’s population growth is likely to double by 2030. In the course of their discussion, the Right Honorable Speaker of the National Assembly recommended to the stakeholders that the recruitment of citizens should always be prioritised.
Furthermore, both parties committed to promote dialogue to work in a context of mutuality and respect. The Right Honorable Gelase Daniel NDABIRABE took this opportunity to remind him that Burundi is a sovereign country and that the restoration of friendly relations between these two countries requires concrete efforts.