Ruling CNDD-FDD party to attend 5th round of inter-Burundian dialogue

“CNDD-FDD party is ready to participate in the upcoming inter-Burundian dialogue session under the auspices of facilitator William Benjamin Mkapa,” said Joseph Ntakarutimana, deputy secretary-general of the ruling party on August 17, after a close consultation held between CNDD-FDD officials and the facilitation team in Bujumbura.
Ntakarutimana wishes that the peace talk session leads to the implementation of a consensual roadmap to the 2020 elections.

Participants in the last round of peace talks in Ngurdoto, Arusha-Tanzania

In a media synergy held on August 14, the representative of the government had disagreed on the organization of a new round of dialogue. Térence Ntahiraja, spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior, said the inter-Burundian dialogue in Arusha is no longer relevant. “External inter-Burundian dialogue belongs to the past, “he said.

Joseph Ntakarutimana says the emissaries of facilitator William Benjamin Mkapa who have been in Burundi since 16 August appreciate the fact that the socio-political situation in Burundi is considerably improving.
“They realized that all the accusations against Bujumbura were false” says Ntakarutimana adding that ‘they applaud the consensual roadmap to 2020 elections recently adopted by leaders of political parties together with government representatives in Kayanza Province.

As for Agathon Rwasa, chairman of Amizero y’Abarundi opposition coalition, he calls for the suggestion of a compromise that would come out of this “last round of dialogue.” “Otherwise, the roadmap at the end of the dialogue would be counterproductive”.

Rwasa believes that there has never been a real dialogue. “All various dialogue sessions held in the past were just simple consultations”. Thus, he calls on all the protagonists in Burundi conflict to attend the upcoming session to reach a consensus which will “lead to a solution to the crisis that has lasted a long time”. He also asked the facilitation office to hold this meeting as soon as possible arguing that 2020 approaches.

The facilitation team also met with government authorities and the diplomatic corps. The facilitator should organize the next session on the basis of growing apprehensions expressed through these consultations.