Forty million euro a year is the aid the Netherlands gives to Burundi to foster its development, said Harry Verweij, Netherlands ambassador to Burundi, on 25 April in a press conference he held as part of the celebration of the King’s Day in the Netherlands
Harry Verweij: “Sexuality is a personal matter”
That day will be celebrated in Burundi on May 7 under the theme “Family Planning in Burundi. Ambassador Verweij has said the population growth rate in Burundi is alarming. “Through our visit in the country as part of our project, we have been touched by testimonies of some couples about sexual reproduction.”
He gave an example of a couple in which a husband asked his wife’s approval to have vasectomy. “They were victims of unwanted pregnancies with 7 children. It was hard for them to feed those children,” said Verweij adding that “their choice is a success for him”.
Mr Verweij indicates that his country is very much involved in family planning besides promoting food security and the rule of law. “Seven out of 40 million euros that the Netherlands gives to Burundi each year is allocated to family planning”.
This diplomat deplores the fact that sexuality remains a taboo in Burundi. He advocates the promotion of communication about sexuality arguing that neither religion nor culture should influence sexual behavior. “Sexuality is a personal issue. Everyone must have the information about how to manage their sexual reproduction. ”
The current Burundipopulation is estimated at 11 million. The report released by UNFPA in 2017 revealed thatthe Burundian population will double in 2030.
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