Return of the Right Honourable Speaker of the Senate from a working mission to the Federal Republic of Russia

On Sunday, May 25, 2025, the Speaker of the Senate, Right Honourable Emmanuel Sinzohagera, returned from a working mission to Saint Petersburg, Federal Republic of Russia, where he participated in the 11^th International Ecology Congress, organized under the theme: “Planet Earth: Living in Harmony with Nature.”

Upon his arrival at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport, Right Honourable Sinzohagera indicated that the congress was a wonderful opportunity to reflect together on the ins and outs of the ecological cause in the context of unprecedented climate change. He stated that restoring harmony between man and nature is not a choice, but rather an imperial and existential necessity. He clarified that his main objective was to strengthen parliamentary diplomacy between the Senate of both the Federal Republic of Russia and Burundi.

The Speaker of the Upper House of Burundian Parliament explained that as part of the congress’s activities, participants attended panel discussions animated by experts on the following topics: food security in the context of climate change and the development of the BRICS: How does the environment make the world a better place!

These panels finally concluded that the international solidarity is the only and irresistible force we have to protect nature and planet Earth, he said.

He mentioned that, during the congress, he got the opportunity to recall that the ecological crisis is the result of human actions, and it leads to environmental problems, such as pollution, reduction of resources and biodiversity, etc.

He also indicated that he took the opportunity to highlighten actions to be taken to ensure harmony between humans and nature, including strengthening synergies to make communities resilient, mobilizing additional budgets to scale up resilient technologies, and facilitating access to financing for vulnerable countries.

The Speaker of the Senate stated that this congress revived the participants’ hope in the possibility of overcoming the challenges of climate change through fair and transparent inter-parliamentary dialogue.

He informed that his meeting with the Chairwoman of the Federal Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation focused on strengthening bilateral relations through economic cooperation, and that he invited Russian investors to bring their capital in Burundi.

Right Honourable Emmanuel Sinzohagera announced that cooperation agreements between the Senate of Burundi and the Federal Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation are about to be signed. He explained, for example, that Russia has promised to soon support the Senate of Burundi in the digitalization of its services.

Finally, he stated that the President of the Federal Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation promised that the country will send observers to Burundi to monitor the upcoming electoral process.