Rwanda and Burundi Foreign Ministers meet at Nemba Border in the latest attempt to normalise relations

JOINT COMMUNIQUE ON THE OCCASION OF THE WORKING VISIT TO RWANDA BY H.E AMB. ALBERT SHINGIRO, BURUNDI MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION

1. At the initiative of the Government of Burundi, His Excellency Vincent BIRUTA, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda, welcomed for a working visit to Rwanda, his Counterpart, His Excellency Ambassador Albert SHINGIRO, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation for Development of the Republic of Burundi.

2. The meeting was held at the common border of Nemba-Gasenyi, on October 20, 2020.

3. This meeting falls within the framework of the shared desire to assess the state of bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries and to agree on the modalities of their normalization.

4. The two Ministers noted the existence of historical relations between Rwanda and Burundi as well as the challenges they face from 2015 to the present day. The two authorities agreed on the need to continue contacts in order to normalize relations. between the two neighbouring countries linked by history and geography.

5. At the end of the closed session, the Burundian Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs handed to his Rwandan counterpart, a written message from the Government of the Republic of Burundi, to the Government of the Republic of Rwanda.

6. Similarly, the Rwandan Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs has delivered to his Burundian counterpart a written message from the Government of the Republic of Rwanda, to the Government of the Republic of Burundi.

7. His Excellency Ambassador Albert SHINGIRO, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation of the Republic of Burundi, invited his Counterpart, His Excellency Vincent BIRUTA, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda, to make a reciprocal visit to Burundi. The invitation was accepted on a date to be agreed between the parties through diplomatic channels.

Done in Nemba / Gasenyi, October 20, 2020