“Stay mobilised, engaged and continue in the same élan,” outgoing Special Envoy of the Secretary General, Michel Kafando exhorted staff of his office in Burundi at a farewell townhall meeting on 21 November 2019.

The erstwhile Burkinabe president leaves at the end of the month after some two and a half years in office. He was appointed by the Secretary General in May 2017 to lead and coordinate UN support to efforts at promoting peace and sustainable development in Burundi.

More specifically, Mr Kafando coordinated UN assistance to the Inter-Burundi Dialogue, an initiative of the East African Community aimed at resolving political tensions dating back to the controversial elections of 2015, and which still linger.

“Mediating peace is a delicate and progressive enterprise in which we all step in at some point to contribute our bit,” he reminded staff of OSESG-Burundi. Mr Kafando added that he will continue to follow developments in the country with keen interest, ready to pitch in whatever support he can to the office.

The town hall was the highpoint of a four-day farewell trip to Bujumbura in the course of which he also held discussions with the UN Country Team, as well as representatives of the diplomatic community.

The Special Envoy also met briefly with the African Union Ambassador to Burundi, Basile Ikouebe, and the Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), Zachary Muburi-Muita.