Burundi, located in the heart of Africa, covers about 27,834 square kilometers and has a population of around 12 million. Bordered by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Rwanda, it is primarily an agricultural nation with significant mineral resources and tourist sites.
The country has enjoyed nearly two decades of political stability under the leadership of General Major Evariste Ndayishimiye, who envisions Burundi as an emerging country by 2040 and a developed nation by 2060.
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Ambassador Edouard Nduwimana, appointed as Burundi’s Ambassador to Nigeria, has a distinguished career in public service, including roles as Minister of the Interior and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. With his extensive experience, he aims to strengthen Burundi-Nigeria relations by enhancing economic and cultural cooperation between the two nations. His diplomatic mission focuses on fostering mutual benefits through trade, investment, and cultural exchanges.
Before answering your questions, allow me to briefly introduce my country, BURUNDI. Located in the heart of Africa, with an area of 27834000 km², and a population of around 12 million, Burundi borders the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Rwanda.
With a temperate climate, Burundi is an agricultural country, and its population lives mainly from agriculture. With a subsoil rich in mineral resources along with tourist and historical sites, Burundi has a lot of potential for its development due to its political and security stability for almost 20 years.
It is for this reason, that, through the great and enlightened leadership of the Head of State, General Major Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE, a vision has just been adopted to serve as a roadmap for the economic and social development of Burundi, it is the “BURUNDI vision as an emerging country in 2040 and a Developed country in 2060”.
Your Excellency, can you share your journey to becoming the Ambassador of Burundi to Nigeria?
Before informing you about my journey, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through which His Excellency the President of Nigeria, BOLA Ahmed TINUBU, GCFR accepted my accreditation as the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Burundi in this beautiful country. I am not a career diplomat, but before I was appointed Ambassador, I occupied high and various positions in my country. I am 55 years old, married, and father of 7 children with a degree in law from the University of Burundi in 1993. After my university studies, I spent a few months in the private sector before being appointed deputy public Attorney of the Republic in Bururi, in the south of the country. In 1996, I was appointed public Attorney in Kirundo, northern province, a position I held for 8 years after which I was appointed Inspector of Justice. After the 2005 elections in Burundi, which marked the end of the transitional regime, I was seconded from the Ministry of Justice to be principal advisor to the President of the Senate in charge of administrative and legal issues.
After a year in this position, I was appointed General Secretary to the Senate, a position I held for 2 years before being appointed Governor of Kayanza, my native province, on February 17th, 2008. One year later, January 9th, 2009, I was appointed Minister of the Interior, a position I held until July 2015, almost 7 years. In August 2015, I was elected Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. After 13 months in this position, I was elected by the Parliament to occupy the high office of Ombudsman of the Republic of Burundi for a non-renewable 6-year term from November 22, 2016, to November 22, 2022. It is after all this journey that the President of the Republic, after approval from the Senate, in September 2023, appointed me as the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador, by decree of January 6th, 2024.
Could you state the key priorities in your diplomatic mission here in Nigeria?
In regards to the priorities in my mission here in Nigeria, first, I will put all my energy into strengthening the bonds of friendship and cooperation between both our two countries and our two peoples. Particular emphasis will be placed on how Burundians and Nigerians can benefit from the good relations that exist between their governments by promoting trade, by activating Nigerian investors to come and invest in Burundi, by promoting business tourism, sports, and cultural exchanges.
We will strive to implement the recommendations of the Nigeria – Burundi Joint Commission held in Bujumbura from July 28th to 30th, 2021 and will ensure that another one is organized here in Nigeria no later than 2025.
How do you see the current bilateral relations between Burundi and Nigeria?
Bilateral relations between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Burundi are excellent and have been for a long time. Official visits at the highest level, political and economic support, as well as technical exchanges of experience, are a few actions that materialize the existence of these very good relations.
What initiatives are in place to enhance economic cooperation between our two countries?
Concerning the initiatives as mentioned above, our diplomacy must now evolve and adapt according to the context. Today, a particular emphasis must be placed on economic diplomacy. Burundi has just adopted its vision of “an emerging country in 2040 and a developed country in 2060”. The implementation of this vision requires ownership by Burundians but also support from public and private partners.
We are currently considering initiatives to encourage Nigerian investors to come to Burundi. Very soon, a team of Nigerian investors will travel to Burundi to see firsthand the opportunities the country offers and discuss with Burundian businessmen and of course with the Burundian authorities. We are also convincing Burundian investors to participate in the Lagos exhibition scheduled for November 2024 – Abuja Exhibition.
How is Burundi working with Nigeria to address regional security challenges?
The history of Burundi has been punctuated by civil wars between Burundians. Since 2005, Burundi has been a stable and peaceful country in terms of security and politics. This peace was found due to the commitment of the Burundians to put an end to the conflict which divided them but also due to the support of friendly countries of Burundi and the international community. This is why today, Burundi is helping other countries in the grip of war to find peace, notably by sending its troops to Somalia, to the Democratic Republic of Congo, to the Central Africa Republic, and so on. In this mission, Nigeria and Burundi share the same vision of stabilizing our continent and concretely the collaboration and partnership between our defense and security forces contribute to this common commitment. Moreover, very recently around forty Nigerian soldiers have just visited Burundi as part of its partnership. The challenges remain significant but together, we have the capacity to overcome them.
How do you balance your professional responsibilities with your personal life and family commitments?
You will have noticed that I have occupied several positions, some even more demanding than being an Ambassador. So, this should not cause me any problems. Nigeria is a beautiful country that offers a lot of investment opportunities. Outside of duty hours, I play football with my children and family. I play football with my children because it is also my passion, after having been a player and General Secretary of the Federation of Football of Burundi from 2006 to 2004.
Can you highlight any recent cultural exchange programs between Burundi and Nigeria?
Culture is an important catalyst for unity between peoples and a great lever for development. African culture conveys lessons and is of paramount importance for current and future generations. We should be proud and jealous of it. As you know, Burundi is a cultural country par excellence with its drum recognized as a world heritage site. We are thinking about how we can organize cultural events together.
How does Burundi view Nigeria’s role within the African Union?
Nigeria is a large country with a population of around 250 million people. Also, Nigeria, even though it has faced economic challenges, remains among the best African economies. Its role is therefore essential to the development of the continent and especially in the implementation of the objectives of Vision 2063 of the African Union. In 2063, the African Union will be a continent living in peace and security where harmony will reign within grassroots communities. Managing our diversity will be a source of wealth, social transformation, and accelerated economic growth rather than a source of conflict.
How do you approach promoting tourism between Burundi and Nigeria?
Tourism is one of the growth sectors. Many countries’ economies rely on their tourism potential. Unfortunately, in African countries, including Burundi, this area is neglected. We are in contact with the Nigerian authorities in charge of tourism so that our governments can invest together in this sector and also encourage private individuals to invest in it too.
What challenges do you face as an ambassador, and how do you overcome them?
I have just started my career, so it is still early for me to describe the few difficult situations I have already encountered as a challenge. Also, it should be noted that challenges can be transformed into opportunities if they are handled and understood better. However, to succeed in diplomacy, it is necessary to maintain horizontal and vertical communication with all partners, in particular the Government of the sending country and that of the host country. To conclude, we salute the courage and determination of the Nigerian people to develop their country under the leadership of His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic. Burundi would like to take advantage of the good relations that exist between our countries by promoting economic cooperation with Nigeria. The current global context proves it, south-south cooperation is today the best and brings growth to our States.
Who have been your biggest influences or mentors throughout your career?
Throughout my career, I have been influenced by many people, but above all, by the leadership of the Head of State, General Major Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE, whose vision and commitment to the development of Burundi have been exemplary.
Looking ahead, what are your hopes and aspirations for the future of Burundi-Nigeria relations?
Looking ahead, I hope to see even stronger and more fruitful relations between Burundi and Nigeria. I aspire for our countries to continue collaborating closely, enhancing economic cooperation, cultural exchanges, and mutual support in various sectors. My vision is to see Burundi and Nigeria as key partners in driving the development and stability of our continent.