Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Burundi Closes

Great Lakes Special Envoy Huang Xia hands lowered flag at OSESG-B to Acting Resident Coordinator, Nicole Kouassi, 31 May 2021. UN/Napoleon Viban

31 May 2021

Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Burundi Closes

Today, 31 May 2021, the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Burundi (OSESG-B) officially closed, after more than four years of operations in the country.

 

The official ceremony was presided over by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, Mr. Huang Xia. In attendance were senior Government officials, representatives of political parties and civil society organizations, members of the diplomatic community, and the heads of UN agencies, funds and programmes in the country.

The Office was established in 2015 to provide peacebuilding support, including through good offices in support of the Government and the people of Burundi. This was done in cooperation with the East African Community (EAC), the African Union (AU) and other partners.

The Office is closing in line with the United Nations Security Council Presidential Statement of 4 December 2020, in which inter alia, the Council noted the improved security situation in Burundi, recognized the gains made thus far and requested the Secretariat to cease periodic reporting on the situation in the country. Further, the Security Council underscored the importance of continued support to Burundi, as the country embarks on the next stage of its development.

To that end, the United Nations will continue working in close coordination with international, regional, and other partners, in support of the efforts of the Government and the people of Burundi towards consolidating social cohesion, stability and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in Burundi, in the spirit of the Arusha Agreement.

“OSESG-B is leaving, but the UN family and Burundi remain committed to enhancing their cooperation, building on the progress achieved, mainly through the UN Country Team, under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator,” Special Envoy Xia underscored in his remarks at the event.

Also speaking at the ceremony, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Isidore Ntirampeba stressed that “the closure of the office does not mean the end of cooperation with the UN,” noting that collaboration with the UN will continue through the Resident Coordinator and the Office of the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region.

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