BUJUMBURA, August 30th (ABP) – The Minister for East African Community Affairs, Youth, Sport and Culture, Mr Gervais Abayeho, presented the major annual achievements for the year 2023-2024 on Monday 26 August 2023. The minister indicated that he was satisfied with the level of achievements, which, according to him, were based on four sectors of intervention, including the sector of Burundi’s integration into the East African community, the youth, sports and culture sectors, as well as the personalized administrations under the ministry’s supervision.
In the sector of Burundi’s integration into the African community, Minister Abayeho said that the ministry had carried out several activities, such as coordinating and facilitating the participation of Burundian delegates in 153 official missions at EAC level, and in other areas, to the tune of 2,013,378.620 BIF, the sensitization of 240 participants on Burundi’s integration process, the achievements and opportunities within the East African community for a sum of 33,563,050BIF as well as the production and distribution of 450 documents, containing the report on those major community achievements, for a sum of 11,420,000BIF.
In the cultural sector he added, the ministry organized the 7th edition of the week dedicated to the emblematic Burundian drum dance “Umurisho w’ingoma”, with the participation of 18 drumming groups, with a view to safeguarding Burundi’s cultural heritage. It was ended in Gitega in November 2023 at a cost of 80,100,000 BIF. In addition, the ministry organized a national cultural festival, 2023 edition, as part of the revaluation and safeguarding of Burundian cultural values, at a cost of 194,973,760 BIF. During that period, 450 young entrepreneurs were made aware of employability at a cost of 150,000,000 BIF.
In addition, the ministry has supported and financed 1,125 first-category hillside village micro-projects to the tune of 11,250,000,000 BIF. It has also organised capacity-building sessions for 5,360 young people in agro-pastoral and irrigation techniques, at a cost of 129,524,000 BIF. The ministry in charge of youth has also organised first-job training courses for 326 young graduates with no professional experience, in all provinces of the country. Travel expenses for those trainees amounted to 117,360,000 BIF, said Mr Abayeho.
In addition, the Youth Investment Bank granted 2,002,300,000 BIF in loans to 190 cooperatives made up of 1,733 young people.
As part of the Youth Economic Empowerment and Employment Programme (PAEEJ), the ministry also organized a retreat for young intellectuals (Youth Impulse) and “Inkerebutsi Day”, with the aim of promoting financing and self-employment for young people, he said. On that occasion, Minister Abayeho pointed out that more than 1,200 young intellectuals had had the opportunity to benefit from the advice of the President of the Republic of Burundi. As part of the safeguarding of Burundian cultural identity, he recalled, the ministry responsible for culture had organized a competition for traditional Burundian songs accompanied by traditional Burundian instruments, which had put 20 centers online for reading and cultural activities. The cost of organizing that competition amounted to 30,263,150 BIF. According to the minister, Burundian sportsmen and women were facilitated to take part in 39 regional and international sports competitions, at a cost of 9,309,796,523 BIF, and 167 matches were played. The finals were held at the Itaba stadium in Gitega, at a cost of 26,288,000 BIF.