SUMMARY REPORT OF THE PLENARY SESSION OF MAY 15, 2024

In the year two thousand and twenty-four, on the fifteenth day of May, senators gathered in the Senate hemicycle in Gitega for the 189^th plenary session of the sixth legislature to analyze and adopt three following bills:

1. the bill ratifying by the Republic of Burundi the general cooperation agreement between the Republic of Burundi and the Gabonese Republic, signed in Libreville on January 16, 2024;

2. the bill ratifying by the Republic of Burundi the agreement relating to cooperation in labour matters between the Government of the Republic of Burundi and the Government of the Gabonese Republic, signed in Libreville, on January 16 2024;

3. the bill ratifying by the Republic of Burundi the trade agreement between the Republic of Burundi and the Gabonese Republic, signed in Libreville on January 16, 2024.

This session, which was led by the Right Honourable Emmanuel SINZOHAGERA, Speaker of the Senate, saw the participation of 36 senators and a Government Representative, namely the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Ambassador Albert SHINGIRO. It began at 9:35 a.m. with a prayer.

Opening the session, the Speaker of the Senate first welcomed the Honourable senators and subsequently invited the Government Representative to present the explanatory memorandum of the above-mentioned bills.

In his explanatory statement concerning the first project under analysis, the Minister indicated that the latter comes within the framework of strengthening bilateral ties of friendship and cooperation and extending the scope of cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Burundi and that of the Republic of Gabon, which links were part of the traditional diplomacy of the two States.

The ratification of this agreement, specifies the Minister, will serve as a basis for negotiations and the conclusion of other sectoral agreements  basis for negotiations  and a conclusion of other sectorial agreements with a view to developing balanced relations in the profile of the two brother peoples.

For the second bill under analysis relating to the labour cooperation agreement, Ambassador Albert SHINGIRO explained that labour migration movements will have a significant impact on the social and economic well-being between the Parties.

Thus, by ratifying this agreement, Burundi will benefit from promoting and strengthening relations of any order of common interest on the basis of equality and mutual benefit; remittance flows and the transfer of investments, technology and essential skills when migrants return at the end of their service; remedies to unemployment and poverty which threaten the youth, he concluded.

Speaking lastly on the interest of the trade agreement which was the subject of the third bill, the Representative of the Government pointed out that this agreement between the Government of the Republic of Burundi and the Government of the Republic of Gabon has the advantage of promoting and intensifying commercial relations for the benefit of the two brotherly countries and peoples.

This agreement, continued the Minister, gives completely new perspectives to trade between Burundi and Gabon by providing exporters and importers with a guarantee of a transparent environment, which will contribute to the economic development of the two countries which have common interests because it is a text which establishes a legal framework based on the principles of equity and reciprocity.

At the end of the explanatory statement, the Speaker of the Senate gave the floor to the chairman of the committee responsible to present the report of the first bill mentioned above.

As no question was raised by senators, the bill was put to a vote and was adopted unanimously by the 39 senators, including 36 present and 3 proxies.

The session continued with the presentation of the report of the second bill under analysis, followed by general debate questions.

The major concern of the people’s representatives was to know the measures which would have been taken so that those who are going to Gabon should not suffer the same fate following the poor living and working conditions that their predecessors experienced. The Minister responded that the security measures for those who are going to Gabon have been thought out, in particular protection on a legal, social and human rights level. In addition, adds Ambassador Albert SHINGIRO, they will be called upon to work in the cleared fields and not to enter the forests for clearing.

After these clarifications, the bill was put to a vote and was adopted unanimously by the 39 votes cast.

At the end of the adoption of the second bill and the reading of the third report of the committee on the merits, the floor was once again given to senators to ask questions for clarification.

The concern of elected officials about this trade agreement was linked to the implementation of the agreement, given that the journey that the goods will take is too long. The Government Representative reassured the elected officials by explaining that the ratification of this agreement could open up opportunities to negotiate facilities concerning the practical modalities.

After these discussions and the adoption of the amendments formulated in plenary, the bill was put to a vote and was adopted unanimously by the 39 voting senators, among whom 36 present and 3 proxies.

The session, which took place in a climate of total understanding, was closed at 11:11 a.m.