ADDRESS BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE EMMANUEL SINZOHAGERA, SENATE SPEAKER, AT THE CLOSING OF THE ORDINARY SESSION OF APRIL 2021

Gitega, june 30, 2021

Honourable First Deputy Speaker of the Senate;

Honourable Second Deputy Speaker of the Senate,

Honorable Senators;

Excellencies Ministers;

Mister President of the High Court of Justice of Gitega,

Mister Attorney General of Gitega,

Mister President of the Labor Court at Gitega;

Mister Governor of the province of Gitega;

Mister Administrator of the Commune of Gitega;

Dear Heads of Defense and Security Corps;

Presidents of the various National Commissions;

Governor of the Province of Gitegal;

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

Dear Representatives of International Organizations in Burundi;

Dear journalists;

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1. First and foremost, let us praise God the almighty who enabled us to be alive and to gather here today. Let’s clap our hands for Him !
2. Let me welcome you all, Distinguished Guests, in this activity where the Senate is closing the works of the ordinary session of april 2021. I would like to recall you that the session that we are closing is the last session of the year among the three which are provided by the Constitution of the Republic of Burundi in its article 190.

Distinguished Guests,

• During the ordinary session of april 2021, the Senate achieved many activities provided by the Constitution of the Republic of Burundi in its articles 192, 193 and 196.

With regards to the analysis of bills, the Senate anaysed and adopted 15 bills which are the following :   

• . Bill on the reorganization of the statistical system in Burundi;

• Bill establishing the general budget of the Republic of Burundi for the 2021/2022 fiscal year;

• Bill on reallocation of the competences of the Anti-corruption Court and its General Prosecutor’s Office as well as the reorganization of the Anti-Corruption Brigade ;

• Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the agreement on the promotion and reciprocal protection of investments between the Government of the Republic of Burundi and the Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea ;

• Bill amending the law on the investment code in Burundi ;

• Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the trade agreement between the Government of the Republic of Burundi and the Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea ;

• Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the cooperation agreement in the maritime and port transport sector between the Government of the Republic of Burundi and the Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea;

• Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the reciprocal visa waiver agreement for holders of diplomatic and service passports between the Government of the Republic of Burundi and the Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea ;

• Bill amending the Law No. 1/06 of March 10, 2020 establishing and granting the status of Supreme Leader of Patriotism in Burundi to President Pierre NKURUNZIZA ;

• Bill revising the environment code of the Republic of Burundi;

• Bill ratifying the Protocol for the establishment of financial assistance between the Government of the Republic of Burundi and the Government of the Republic of Turkey;

• Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of grant agreements n ° D7900-BI and TF0B5105-BI between the Republic of Burundi and the International Development Association (IDA), relating to the second additional financing of the Support Project for Burundi health system “KIRA”, signed in Bujumbura on May 3, 2021. ;

• Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (ZLECAF) ;

• Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the financing agreement for the Support Project for the Sustainable Development of Agriculture and Livestock Value Chains in Burundi (PADCAE-B);

• Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of OFID loan agreement No. 1360P relating to the Project for the Intensification of Agricultural Production and the Reduction of Vulnerability in Burundi (PIPARV-B.

• In controlling the government action, the Senate received the Minister having  Justice in her attributions. This was to respond to the concerns that the population had submitted to us in relation to Justice.

• In accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Burundi, we approved   the names of the candidate ambassadors that His Excellency the President of the Republic had sent to us.

On May 25, the Senate examined the report of the institution of the Burundian Ombudsman on the achievements of this institution for the population.

• In addition, during this session that we are closing, we have carried out other missions, including participation in national festivals and many other festivals to which we were invited.

On May 1, 2021, the International Labour and Workers’ Day, we participated in the ceremonies that took place in the chief-town of Ngozi province, where we represented His Excellency the President of the Republic, to join to the population of this province. We also participated in the swearing-in ceremonies of a newly appointed minister.

As part of encouraging communal community development projects, we participated in the celebration of the Commune’s Day which took place in the chief-town of Ngozi province on June 3, 2021. We also took part in the ceremonies of the Day dedicated to Patriotism celebrated on March 8 in Gitega, the political capital.

Honourable Senators,

Distinguished Guests,

• As representatives of the population who care about the well-being of the population, we have been touched by the disasters experienced by our brothers from Gatumba in Mutimbuzi commune, Bujumbura province. This is why the Senate has provided assistance to flood victims in Maramvya where they are temporarily staying.

• In cooperation field, the Senate, represented by the First Deputy-speaker, participated in the 59th session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States where she took the opportunity to ask for the support of this Organization so that the European Union should lift the sanctions taken against Burundi.

• The Honourable First Deputy Speaker of the Senate participated also in the 40th Session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, held from June 17 to 24 this year. This session focused on the analysis of the minutes of the sessions held in 2020 and on the preparation for the implementation of the new partnership agreements between this Organization and the European Union.

In addition, the Senate, represented by the Second Deputy-speaker, participated in the 142nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union which was held from May 24 to 27, 2021. The work of the Assembly focused on the theme “Overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic today and better building the future: the role of parliaments”.

Distinguished Guests

1.  During this ordinary session of april that we are closing today, in order to   reconcile Burundians, the Senate organized five conferences on the events which happened in Burundi in 1972.

In those conferences, the testimonies and reflections have been collected and they will allow the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to reach the true reconciliation among Burundians. Through those conferences we realize that many Burundians have already understood that it is not an ethnic group that kills, but rather bad governance. Furthermore, it has been recalled that do not inherit the crimes committed by their parents.

Distinguished Guests,

1.  During this period of recess that we start, we call the Honourable senators    to go back to their electoral constituencies to give more  clarification to the population about the main goal of those conferences organized by the Senate. Let us recall that those conferences had no other objective than knowing the truth in order to build a Burundi without any ethnic conflicts.

1.  I invite you to go there with the same message, to tranquilize those who have got fear and help them understand, so that they can give their contribution.

To conclude, we would like to inform you that we will keep on visiting the population in monitoring the implementation of the adopted laws. We will also keep on hearing the population’s concerns, sensitize them to strengthen peace and security, while, at the same time, supporting them in their self-development activities.

1.  I would like to put an end to my address by thanking you for your kind   attention and I solemnly declare close the ordinary parliamentary session of april. We shall meet once again in this hemicycle on august 2, 2021 at the opening of the next ordinary session.

Thank you,

God Bless You!