ADDIS-ABEBA, Feb 17 (ABP) – The President of the Republic of Burundi, Evariste Ndayishimiye, assured that his country will exercise the presidency of the African Union in a spirit of listening, impartiality and cooperation with all, and above all for the common good. He was speaking during his accession speech to the presidency of the conference of heads of states and governments of the organization.
From the outset, the Head of State stressed that this honor represents a historic moment for Burundi. Indeed, according to him, this responsibility reflects the trust placed in a nation which, although it has suffered from the aftermath of colonization and the wounds of African history, has managed to rise again through dialogue, reconciliation and consistent political will. Thus, he insisted, Burundi intends to assume this role with responsibility and openness.
Furthermore, he extended his congratulations to his predecessor, Joao Lourenco, praising his leadership and commitment to the continent. He notably recalled that, under the impetus of Angola, the African Union has recorded significant progress, particularly in streamlining meetings, simplifying working methods and improving decision-making efficiency. Therefore, Burundi wishes to build on this momentum in order to consolidate these achievements.
In this regard, the president affirmed his desire to work closely with the institutional reform champion, William Ruto, as well as with member states and the commission, in order to introduce gradual improvements that strengthen the organization’s effectiveness, coherence and credibility. According to him, this transition is taking place in an international context marked both by profound geopolitical shifts, multiple security crises, persistent economic tensions and the acceleration of climate change.
Moreover, he warned, the growing questioning of multilateralism requires collective responses based on dialogue, solidarity and respect for international law. Thus, despite these challenges, multilateralism remains an essential pillar for peace, stability and sustainable development. In this respect, the African Union’s entry into the G20 constitutes, in his view, recognition of the continent’s strategic role in global governance.
Recalling that “without vision, the people are hindered,” the Burundian president stated that Africa now knows its objectives and the strategies needed to achieve them. From then on, he emphasized, it is a historic duty for Burundi to strengthen the continent’s voice on the international stage and to help build a more just, balanced and inclusive world order.
In addition, he announced that the implementation of the Agenda 2063 will be the priority of his mandate, considering this agenda as a moral contract binding several African generations around a common vision: an integrated, prosperous, peaceful Africa in control of its own destiny. In this framework, he recalled that the year 2026 is dedicated to the theme of sustainable access to water and sanitation, a vital issue for millions of Africans.
Indeed, more than 400 million people on the continent do not have access to safe drinking water, while nearly 700 million lack adequate sanitation services. The primary victims are children, women and rural populations. Consequently, he explained, the absence of safe drinking water fosters preventable diseases, reduces productivity, causes school dropout and increases vulnerability to climate shocks.
In conclusion, the president indicated that in Burundi, the national roadmap provides for accelerating the supply of drinking water so that, by 2040, every rural household will have access to a water point less than a 15-minute round trip away. According to him, if each African country were to similarly reduce distances to water access, living conditions for populations would significantly improve.