|
Burundi an open market - envoy
2006-07-23 10:33:46
By Simon Kivamwo
The out-going Burundian Envoy to Tanzania, Ambassador Aloys Mbonayo, has revealed that his country, which is currently healing the wounds after 11-year civil war that claimed more than 250,000, lives is an open economic market, whose right supplier is none other than Tanzania.
Ambassador Mbonayo, who leaves the country next Tuesday after ending his two-year tenure, made this revelation during an exclusive interview with the Sunday Observer on Friday, in the city centre.
The ambassador said: strategically located at the western part of Tanzania, Burundi, with its population slightly exceeding eight million, preferred to remain the market of goods and services from Tanzania.
’’Let me make it clear that Burundi is a waiting market for Tanzanian goods,’’ declared Mbonayo, stressing that, ’’The fact that from time immemorial Burundi’s main supplier was Tanzania, one would wish to see this history remaining intact, and more importantly, being intensified.
He further said that in the past, Burundians used to buy each and everything from Tanzania.
Commodities such as cement, cooking pots, soap, mattress, just to mention a few, were all being imported from Tanzania.
He said since the traditional Burundi/Tanzania relations were still intact, it would be wiser for Tanzania to increase its exports to his country.
’’Most of our industries and other economic bases were badly affected by the just ended war such that we cannot sustain on our own.
That is why we are calling on Tanzania to come and enjoy this open market.’’
However, he advised Tanzania to work closely with Burundi to explore how the main road linking Kigoma town and Mabanda in Burundi could be upgraded to tarmac level.
’’The competion of this road will ease the movement of goods from Kigoma to Mabanda, a border town located in Makamba Province,’’ he said.
The ambassador also called on the Government of Tanzania to revise the tax system, which to some extent discouraged most of the businessmen who used to import or export Tanzanian goods to Burundi.
On the Burundian refugees who have for decades settled in Kigoma and Kagera regions, the ambassador said the situation on the ground now, was that most of them were repatriating, on voluntary basis.
’’We are counting between 8,000 to 10,000 refugees repatriating every month on voluntary basis. Most of them are capitalizing on the current summer season, which is quite easier for them to move,’’ said ambassador Mbonayo.
He attributed this positive move to the recent ’’voluntary repatriation promotion’’ that was launched by the Tanzania Minister for Home Affairs, John Chiligati, at a climax of the World’s Day of Refugee.
The day which is annually commemorated on every June 20th , was held at Mutabila camp in Kasulu District, Kigoma region.
Most of the repatriating refugees originate from Rumonge, Makamba, Bururi, Ruyigi, and Chankuzo provinces.
Burundi, a country renowned for coffee growing, has been in fierce tribal clashes that saw, the first democratically elected Hutu President, Malkior Ndadaye, assassionated in 1993 by extremist Tusti soldiers, who did not want to see political power changing hands.
However, after a long international backed mediation initiatives, the country came to a settlement following the installation of the new government led by former gorilla movement, CNND-FDD led by Pierre Nkurunzinza.
Currently, the country is struggling to join the East African Community (EAC), with ambassador Mbonayo affirming that: ’’If everything goes well, we will be in the community this November.’’
|
