BUJUMBURA, March 7th (ABP) – The Cabinet met on Wednesday 26 February 2025 in Gitega, under the chairmanship of the Head of State, Evariste Ndayishimiye. All the points analysed were presented by the Ministry of Finance, according to a press release issued by the General Secretariat of the State.
The draft law on the budget settlement and report for the 2023/2024 financial year, which was presented at first reading by Nestor Ntahomvukiye, the minister in charge of finance, provides information on the revision of general budget forecasts during the course of management by Law No. 1/28 of 31 December 2023 amending Law No. 16 of 28 June 2023 fixing the general budget of the Republic of Burundi for the 2023/2024 financial year.
In the light of the press release issued, the resources of the State’s revised general budget showed an increase of 4.12% compared with what was forecast in the initial Finance Act, while expenditure showed a decrease of 3.62%. During the 2023-2024 financial year, 81.45% of the State’s general budget resources were realised, while 85.48% of expenditure was implemented. After analysis, the bill was adopted.
The same minister presented the draft decree on the publication of the preliminary results of the General Census of Population, Housing, Agriculture and Livestock in Burundi, 2024 edition.
As part of the general people and housing censuses launched by the United Nations and covering the period from 2015 to 2024, Burundi has undertaken to conduct its 4th general population and housing census, coupled with its 1st general census of agriculture and livestock, to make a single operation. The census results are vital for providing information on the indicators of Burundi’s vision, “an emerging country by 2040, a developed country by 2060” and the revised National Development Plan. It is therefore with the aim of making those results public by complying with international standards that the draft decree is being proposed. After analysis, the Cabinet adopted that draft with the recommendation to ensure that the figures included in the draft decree are consistent with those of the software used in that operation.
At third reading, the Cabinet analysed the expenditure commitment ceilings for the third quarter of 2024-2025, presented by the services of the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning. For that ministry, the budget commitment ceilings are subject to the law setting the general budget of the Republic of Burundi for the 2024-2025 financial year, which introduces the drawing up of quarterly expenditure commitment ceilings on the basis of the PTBAs. The commitment ceilings are an essential tool for regulating expenditure. After discussion and debate, the Cabinet adopted those ceilings.
Another point analysed by the Cabinet was the multiannual budgetary and economic programming document for 2025-2026 to 2027-2028, presented by the services of the ministry responsible for finance. For that ministry, as indicated in the press release from the General Secretariat of the State, the multi-year budgetary and economic programming document is one of the documents that must accompany the finance law in accordance with the provisions of the organic law on public finance. It serves as a reference in the preparation of the Finance Act for the coming year, defining the guidelines, the overall level of expected revenues and projected expenditure based on changes in the national and international economic situation. It covers a rolling three-year period and is adjusted annually. At the end of the analysis, the document was adopted with, among other recommendations, to be realistic in both revenue and expenditure forecasts.
Lastly, the Minister for Finance presented the draft joint ordinance on the application of article 118 of law N° 1/127 of 30 December 2024, amending law N°1/19 of 28 June 2024, setting the budget of the Republic of Burundi for the financial year 2024-2025. According to the said press release, that draft ministerial order relates to the fees and the contribution to socio-economic activities levied by LONA on all types of games of chance, including tombolas, organised throughout the territory of Burundi, and to the distribution of the fees collected, in application of article 118 of the amending finance law for the 2024/2025 financial year, after deducting the share due to the private partner.
Thus, 40% of the income received by LONA is transferred to the public treasury account and the remaining 60% is transferred to a LONA account. After analysis, the draft was adopted with recommendations to clarify the title, specifying the purpose of the ordinance.