UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A United Nations envoy for Burundi on Thursday asked the Security Council to appeal to all sides in the country to participate in inter-Burundi dialogue that would build on recent developments.
The quarterly briefing to the Security Council by Michel Kafando, special envoy of the secretary-general for Burundi, was the first since President Pierre Nkurunziza announced on June 7, when he promulgated a new constitution, that he would not seek an additional term in office when elections take place in 2020.
The special envoy drew attention to a Aug. 3 workshop of Burundian political actors that produced a road map leading to the 2020 elections, as well as to his meetings with Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni and with the former President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Benjamin Mkapa -- the mediator and the facilitator, respectively, of the inter-Burundi dialogue process led by the East African Community.
Emphasizing the importance of the new constitution and the president's statements, he said both developments "created an opportunity to make progress towards a final settlement of a political crisis" that dated to 2015 when protests erupted following Nkurunziza's announcement that he would seek a further term in office.
Summarizing recent developments, Kafando said the security situation in Burundi remains calm, and that 35,000 refugees have returned to Burundi from Tanzania since September 2017.
A series of high-level visits meanwhile demonstrated the government's willingness to improve relations with the international community, he said, adding that he hopes Burundi and the European Union will soon resume talks leading to the lifting of European sanctions.
In the ensuing debate, many council members welcomed the president's declaration that he would not seek re-election, praised the role being played most notably by the East African Community and looked forward to free and fair elections in 2020.
At the same time, however, several delegates voiced concern over the human rights situation and called for the government to resume cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
