Gitega, December 01, 2021

Honourable Second Deputy–Speaker of the Senate,

Honourable Senators,

Your Excellencies Ministers,

Mister Governor of Gitega Province,

Your Excellencies Ambassadors and Representatives of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps accredited to Burundi,

Dear Representatives of International Organizations in Burundi,

Mister President of the High Court in Gitega Province,

Mister Administrator of Gitega Commune,

Dear Members of Defense and Security Corps,

Dear Members of the media

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning.

1. First of all, permit us to thank the Almighty God who kept us safe and sound, and who guided us in the visits on the field we carried out, during this month of recess, to the population who elected us. Let us applaud our Lord as a sign of thanksgiving!
2. Distinguished guests, we warmly welcome you in this hall and we would like to reiterate our heartfelt thanks for your presence at these ceremonies despite your multiple obligations. This testifies to the interest that you attach to our achievements and that you are pleased about them, which encourages us to always work selflessly so that all citizens understand that this institution is there for their interests.

Distinguished guests;

All protocol observed,

• During this recess, we, Honourable Senators, visited our electorate in different provinces. In our respective constituencies, we monitored the implementation of the laws already adopted and heard the population’s complaints. We have also raised the population’s awareness about safeguarding peace and security, while encouraging them in self-development work.
• Permit us to say I in a few words what we have done: members of the Senate Bureau visited Bujumbura, Makamba, Bururi, Mwaro, Ruyigi and Kirundo provinces.

During those visits, many activities have been conducted, and these include the support of the population during development activities, visiting some new factories which are being built, without forgetting touristic sites located in those provinces. This was done in the framework of calling upon the population and local authorities in charge of touristic sites to take care of them in order to attract visitors.

It has been also an opportunity to deal with the population about different issues which the country is facing and think about what should be done by local authorities in the villages and at the communal level. These include notably:

• The safeguarding of peace and security by fighting against whatsoever should threaten them;
• The fight against unwanted pregnancies for young ladies, especially students;
• The fight against poverty and diseases linked to malnutrition;
•  Environment protection and the fight against Corona-virus.

Furthermore, in the provinces which we visited, members of the Bureau of the Senate visited popular cooperatives in the objective of encouraging the population and provide them with advice which is liable to help them reach the objective aimed at.

•  Other activities were also carried out. During the parliamentary recess on November, the members of the Senate Bureau and the Honourable Senators participated in the ceremonies of welcoming the torch of peace in their respective provinces of origin, and it was an opportunity to open various infrastructures built by the population.

Honourable Senators;

Distinguished Guests;

• In the field of cooperation, the Senate of Burundi, represented by its Speaker, participated in the international Conference of Parliaments in its meeting of the 143^rd session. The works of that session took place in Madrid, Spain. The Right Honourable Speaker of the Senate of Burundi took that opportunity to meet representatives from different countries in order to strengthen cooperation among those countries and the Republic of Burundi.
• As provided by the Constitution of the Republic of Burundi, Honourable Senators participated in the ceremonies where five ministers who had just been appointed by His Excellency President of the Republic took the oath. Those ceremonies took place in Bujumbura, in the hemicycle of Kigobe, on November 23, 2021.

• In addition, on November 29, of the same year, the 1^st Senate Deputy-speaker enhanced with her presence the ceremonies marking the celebration of the international day dedicated to the rights of the child. Those ceremonies took place at the chief-town of the province of Muramvya.

• In the framework of fighting against violence against women and young girls, the Senate, together with UNICEF and the National Independent Commission for Human Rights (CNIDH) organised a workshop on the fight against unwanted pregnancies for the young girls, especially students. That workshop was held at the chief-town of the province of Karusi on november 29 and 30, 2021.

1. During this session of December, the Senate of Burundi will analyze and adopt 14 bills that the Government of Burundi has sent. Those bills are the followings:

1. Bill on Ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the Agreement amending for the second time the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States on the one hand and the European Community and its Member States on the other hand signed in Cotonou on June 23, 2000 and amended for the first time in Luxembourg on June 25, 2005;

• Bill on Ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the Agreement on the Establishment of the East Africa Standby Force;

• Bill on the accession by the Republic of Burundi to the 1954 convention relating to the status of stateless persons;

• Bill on the accession by the Republic of Burundi to the 1961 convention on the reduction of statelessness;

• Bill revising law n⁰1 / 21 of December 31, 2010 amending law n⁰ 1/15 of April 29, 2006 relating to the statutes of the officers of the National Defense Force of Burundi;

• Bill revising law n⁰ 1/20 of December 31, 2010 amending law n⁰ 1/16 of April 29, 2006 relating to the statutes of non-commissioned officers of the National Defense Force of Burundi;

• Bill revising law n⁰ 1/19 of December 31, 2010 amending law n⁰ 1/17 of April 29, 2006 relating to the statutes of troops of the National Defense Force of Burundi;

• Bill on the statutes of the Officers of the National Police of Burundi;

• Bill on the statutes of non-commissioned officers of the National Police of Burundi;

1. Bill on the statutes of the troops of the National Police of Burundi;

1. Bill amending some provisions of the Code of Social Protection in Burundi and revaluation of pensions for the public sector;

1. Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the protocol on the privileges and immunities of the East African Community;

1. Bill ratifying the cooperation agreement for the execution of Burundi water resources management project between the Government of the Republic of Burundi and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt signed on March 24, 2021 in Cairo, Egypt;

1. Bill ratifying the agreement on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, special and service passports between the Government of the Republic of Burundi and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt signed on 24 March 2021 in Cairo, Egypt.

Honourable Senators;

Distinguished Guests;

1. Permit us also to remind you that during this session of December, we will keep on carrying out all the missions in accordance with our Constitution. We will also conduct visits in order to assess the implementation of bills which we vote. We will also keep listening to grievances and concerns of peoples, while urging them to maintain peace and security, and encouraging them for development activities.

1. As we are leading to the conclusion, let us recall that as parliamentarians, we are called on to remember that we are representatives of the people who elected us and whom we must fully represent.  We must therefore get rid of the bad habit of some intellects who, once they are promoted, no longer set foot in their villages. We have rather the obligation of staying close to our population.

1. To conclude, permit me once again to thank you for coming, and it is on these words that I solemnly declare open the parliamentary ordinary session of December, 2021.

Thank you!

God bless you!