SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE SENATE SPEAKER, RIGHT HONOURABLE EMMANUEL SINZOHAGERA, WHILE CLOSING THE ORDINARY PARLIAMENTARY SESSION OF APRIL 2022

                                                                                    Gitega, JUNE 30, 2022

Honourable Fisrt Deputy-Speaker of the Senate;

Honourable Second Deputy-speaker of the Senate;

Honourable Senators;

Your Excellencies Ministers,

Mister Governor of Gitega Province;

Madam President of the High Court in Gitega Province;

Mister Attorney General of the Republic in Gitega;

Mister President of the Labor Court in Gitega;

Mister Administrator of Gitega Commune;

Dear Members of Defense and Security Forces;

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

Dear Representatives of International Organizations in Burundi;

Dear Members of the media;

Distinguished Guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen ;

1. First and foremost, let us praise God the Almighty for having preserved us during this three month period corresponding to the ordinary session, a session during which we fully accomplished our mission of representing the people in a time when peace and security were prevailing all over the country. I beg you to join me and thank Him with an acclamation in recognition!

• Distinguished Guests, in a second time, we would like to thank you vividly for having always joined us during all the activities that the Senate organizes. You have always been quick despite your multiple duties. This is sufficient proof that you are always on the side of your representatives in the activities that they carry out in your interest and in the interest of community in general.

Honourable Senators;

Distinguished Guests,

During this last three month period, the Senate has achieved many activities in different provinces and communes of the country. It has also fulfilled its constitutional mission of voting laws, approving appointments and making the application of the laws voted and adopted by the Senate in accordance with articles 192,193, and 196 of the Constitution of the Republic of Burundi.

In the course of that ordinary session that we are closing today, which is the third and last of the three which are provided by article 190 of our Constitution, the Senate has analyzed and passed eighteen (18) bills out of the twenty-eight (28) which were sent to us by the Government. Those eighteen (18) bills are the following:

1. Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the financing agreement No D9440-BI between the Republic of Burundi and the International Development Association (IDA), in favor of the Support Project for Productive Social Nets and Jobs (MERANKABANDI II), signed in Bujumbura on January 24, 2022;

• Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the agreement in the field of education between the Government of the Republic of Burundi and the Government of the Federal Republic of Brazil;

• Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the financing agreement No D 9640-bi between the Republic of Burundi and the International Development Association in favor of the covid-19 preparedness and response project in Burundi – additional funding;

• Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the Additional Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;

• Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the additional protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights relating to the rights of the elderly;

• Draft organic law revising Organic Law No. 1/04 of February 20, 2017 on the missions, organization, composition, instruction, conditions of service and functioning of the National Defense Force of Burundi;

• Bill on the status of parliamentary staff;

• Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the agreements on the recruitment of workers between the Government of the Republic of Burundi and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;

• Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the agreements on the recruitment of domestic workers between the Government of the Republic of Burundi and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;

1. Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the revised general cooperation agreement between the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Government of the Republic of Burundi; Draft organic law amending organic law n° 1/04 of February 20, 2017 on the mission, organization, composition, instruction, conditions of service and functioning of the National Defense Force of Burundi (after joint commission);

1. Settlement bill and budget report for the 2020-2021 fiscal year;

1. Bill amending Law No 1/35 of 04 December 2008 on public finances;

1. Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the agreement between the government of the Republic of Burundi and the government of the Russian Federation on the mutual abolition of visa procedures for holders of diplomatic or service passports, signed in Bujumbura on February 6, 2018;

1. Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the assistance agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Burundi to facilitate a partnership aimed at a transformation that promotes the sustainable development of Burundi;

1. Bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the general cooperation agreement between the Republic of Burundi and the Republic of Serbia, signed on February 20, 2019 in Belgrade;

1. Bill on the ratification by the State of Burundi of the amendment to grant agreement No 2000002606 between the State of Burundi and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (FIDA in French acronym) relating to the Intensification Project Agricultural Production and Vulnerability Reduction in Burundi PIPARV-B), signed in Bujumbura on November 16, 2021;

1. Bill on the ratification by the State of Burundi of the financing agreement (loan n° 2000004133 and grant n° 2000004134) between the State of Burundi and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) relating to the Development of Rural Entrepreneurship (PRODER in French acronym), signed in Bujumbura on April 27, 2022;

1. Bill fixing the general budget of the Republic of Burundi for the fiscal year 2022/2023.

Honourable Senators;

Distinguished Guests;

• Within the framework of the control of governmental action, the Senate attended the deliberations during which the Government presented a summary of its achievements during the last part of the year, as foreseen by the Constitution in the article 168 of its fourth section.

• We listened to the Minister of Public Health and the Fight against AIDS. We have requested this Ministry to facilitate access to medical care, medical cards, medicines and other products of basic necessities in the sector.

• We also listened to the Minister of Interior, Community Development and Public Security so that he explains to the dignitaries the grievances of the people regarding the management of the movement of people and goods, particularly in the city of Bujumbura.
• In accordance with the powers conferred on us by the Constitution in its article 192 paragraph nine, we have approved the name of the Governor of the Province of Ngozi as requested by His Excellency the Head of State. We also approved the names of 66 members of the judiciary.

• Regarding the participation in public holidays, we joined the citizens of the province of Ruyigi for the celebration of the International Labor Day on May 1, 2022, where we represented His Excellency the President of the Republic.

• On Wednesday June 08, 2022, we participated in the commemoration ceremonies of the 2nd anniversary of the death of the Supreme Guide of Patriotism and, this date coincides with the National Day of Patriotism.

• During this three-month period of the ordinary session which we are closing today, we visited the population of the provinces and communes of Bujumbura, Mwaro, Ruyigi and Rumonge. In these provinces and communes, we joined the population in ongoing development work and gave them advice related to the development of their regions of origin as natives. We visited some schools and we analyzed together how the teaching and education of students can improve in order to achieve better performance. We have appealed to parents, educators and the administration to invest more in improving the quality of education.

1. We also reminded them to safeguard peace and security and to implement the advice given by the administrative staff. As we are in the middle of the dry season, we urged them to roll up their sleeves to plow and irrigate the fields in order to fight against the famine which is currently handicapping the world.

1. On April 14, 2022, we participated in a Consultation Meeting for Churches in the Central Africa Region of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) on Democratic Culture in Monitoring, election observation and accountability. In this context, we highlighted the role of religious leaders in preventing election-related violence and we asked these leaders to provide advice to Christians in their churches so that they can avoid such violence that arises during election periods.

1. On April 6, 2022, we participated in the commemoration ceremonies of the 28th anniversary of the assassination of President Cyprien Ntaryamira. These ceremonies took place in Bujumbura City.

1. From 16 to 18 June, 2022, we took part in the activities related to the national prayer of thanksgiving organized by the presidential family, two years after the accession to power of His Excellency Major General Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE, President of the Republic. These three days of prayer took place in the Province of Muramvya.

1. In the field of cooperation, the Senate of Burundi was represented by the Honorable First Deputy -Speaker, at the work of the 41st session of the Parliamentary Assembly of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries on one hand and the countries of the European Union on the other hand, in Strasbourg, France, from March 29 to April 04, 2022.

1. The Honorable First Deputy-speaker of the Senate also participated in the 9^th edition of “Africities Summit” at the invitation of the Secretary General of the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG) in Kisumu, Kenya.

1. On June 02, 2022, in the Chief town of Muramvya, at the hotel la concorde, there was participation in an information and capacity building workshop for Honorable Senators members of the commission having finances in its attributions, on the results of the survey on the “Open Budget”. This workshop was organized and financed by CURDES.

Honourable senators;

Distinguished Guests,

1. During this period of insecurity in some countries of the East African community of which we are a member, the Senate of Burundi is closely following the conflicts that persist between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. This is why we encourage the Government of Burundi to continue to work with the countries of the sub-region so that all the measures already taken to restore peace and security are implemented: “Prevention is better than cure”, as goes the burundian saying: -Umuriro waka utumbera iyo igisanze gisigaye-.

1. In his address to the nation, on the occasion of New Year’s greetings, His Excellency the President of the Republic specified that this year is devoted to agriculture. It is with this in mind that we, as elected representatives of the people, urge the Government, through the supervisory Ministry, to do everything possible to ensure that Burundians receive selected seeds and fertilizers on time. We would ask that even pesticides for plants as well as medicines and vaccines for domestic animals are always available to facilitate the task of farmer-breeders.

We appeal to the government to redouble its efforts and increase the financial means to support the ISABU research center, in order to continue to find plants capable of coping with various climate changes.

1. We will explain to the population the bills voted and adopted, especially those related to the recruitment of Burundian workers who want to go abroad. We will listen to them and present their grievances to the Government. We will closely follow the schedule of activities related to the work camps that the administration has planned for pupils and students on vacation while supporting them because they are “the Burundi of tomorrow”. For this reason, I invite the Honorable Senators to teach the youth the spirit of patriotism.

• To conclude our remarks, we would like to thank you for your kind attention and we solemnly declare the activities of the ordinary session for the month of April 2022 closed. We will meet again in this hemicycle on 1 August 2022 to open ceremony of the first ordinary session of next year.

Thanks for your Kind attention;

God bless you!