Aid Agencies Urge Support for Burundi Peace Process

The IRC and four other international aid organizations are urging the international community to provide support and funding to strengthen Burundi's fragile peace process.

A statement, issued by the groups on Monday, called on donor countries and Burundian parties to work together to ensure that the May 1 transfer of power to a new transitional president and government is peaceful. The aid groups said it is critical that financial and human resources are forthcoming to ensure the timely deployment of the African Union ceasefire implementation force and human rights observation teams. The statement also urges international donors to make good on already committed funding for economic and social development initiatives for Burundi, which is the third poorest nation in the world.

Burundi has been ravaged by a civil war that began in 1993, causing massive casualties, internal displacement and influxes of refugees into neighboring Tanzania.

The full text of the statement is available here in English, and here  in French (.pdf format).