SUMMARY REPORT OF THE PLENARY SESSION OF SEPTEMBER 23, 2024

In the year two thousand and twenty-four, on the twenty-third day of September, senators met in the Senate chamber at Gitega for the 206^th plenary session of the sixth legislature to consider the following points:

1. Analysis and adoption of the bill on the ratification by the Republic of Burundi of the constitutive charter of the Group of Seven Plus (g7 +).
2. adoption of the amended program of activities that were planned for the period from October 18 to 1, 2024;

The work of the session was chaired by the Right Honourable Emmanuel SINZOHAGERA, Speaker of the Senate. This session, which was attended by 31 senators and a Government Representative, namely the Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Audace NIYONZIMA, began as usual with a prayer at 2:03 p.m.

After welcoming the august assembly, the President of the session then invited the Government Representative to present the preamble of the above-mentioned bill.

In his preamble, the Minister stated that the g7+ is an international intergovernmental organization whose founding members are the following countries: Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Liberia, South Sudan, Sierra Leone and East Timor. He added that other countries in conflict or affected by conflicts, including Burundi, have joined it.

He further indicated that the objective of the grouping of these countries is to facilitate and share lessons, good practices, peacebuilding, stability, good governance, economic growth, sustainable development, solidarity and cooperation.

After the preamble and presentation of the report of the committee seized of the substance, the floor was given to the honourable senators so that they could speak under the general debate and ask questions for clarification.

As to the question of whether the g7+ could hope to leave the observer status within the UN to acquire the right to vote, the Minister replied that since its creation in 2019, it had the status of observer since the charter had not yet been ratified by the member states and that once ratified it would have the status of an international organisation fully recognized by the United Nations.

To the senators’ concern about where the operating costs of the General Secretariat of this group would come from, especially since almost all the member countries are developing countries, the Minister said that the latter will make their own contributions to ensure the smooth running of the latter’s activities. The Government Representative then indicated that the g7+ is a light body that does not require a lot of resources and that until now the contribution is voluntary. He added.

As for whether Burundi will have the facilities to contribute to this group, the Government Representative confirmed that there will be no problem with regard to contributions.

After this fruitful exchange, the bill was put to the vote and was adopted unanimously by the 39 voting senators, including 31 present and 8 proxies.

After the analysis and adoption of the bill, the President of the session then presented the draft of the amended program and the latter was adopted unanimously.

The session, which took place in a climate of perfect understanding, was closed at 3:28 p.m. with a prayer.