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Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Burundi
The Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Burundi was created by the
ECOSOC decision 2003/311 of 22 August 2003. The Group is
composed of the Permanent Representatives of South Africa
(Chairman), Japan, Ethiopia, Burundi, Belgium and France.
The President of the Economic and Social Council and Chairman
of the Ad Hoc Working Group of the Security Council on Conflict
Prevention and Resolution in Africa, also took take part
in the work of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group.
The first action of the group was to hold a series of briefing
sessions and meetings in New York with major United Nations
and international interlocutors, including the Bretton Woods
institutions, to discuss development support for Burundi.
The Group also met the President of Burundi, Mr. Domitien
Ndayizeye, in September 2003.
The Group undertook a mission to Burundi from 19 to 26
November 2003, during which it met with government authorities,
major socio-economic actors, United Nations entities active
on the ground, the diplomatic community and other development
partners. The Group held consultations in New York and in
Burundi with national authorities, civil society actors
and a wide range of development partners to assess the economic
and humanitarian situation of Burundi, with the view to
support its post-conflict reconstruction and the transition
from emergency relief to sustainable development.
President of the Economic and Social Council was invited
to address the Security Council at a meeting on the situation
in Burundi held on 4 December 2003. The Security Council
also welcomed the work of the Group in a presidential statement
of 22 December 2003 (S/PRST/2003/30).
The Group took part in the Forum of Development Partners
of Burundi held in Brussels in January 2004. In its report
to the Council, in February 2004, the Ad Hoc Advisory Group
expressed the view that Burundi was at a crossroad in its
peace-process and that the efforts made by the Government
and the people had to be matched by a strong partnership
with the international community. At this forum, the donor
community pledged US$ 1.032 billion of assistance to Burundi.
On 11 February 2004, the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Burundi
submitted its report to the Council (E/2004/11).
In this report, the Group underlined the various and interlinked
challenges that the country is confronted with in embarking
on the road from relief to development. It noted the efforts
made by Burundi to cope with these challenges and stressed
that, in view of the considerable humanitarian, economic
and social needs of the country, a strong partnership with
the international community is required for these efforts
to provide results. The Group made recommendations for consideration
by the Council on the following themes:
- maintaining the momentum and consolidating the peace
process,
- promoting stability,
- engaging in poverty alleviation and sustainable development
and
- reinforcing international partnership.
The Chairman of the Group presented an oral report to ECOSOC
on 21 July 2004, in which he urged donors to disburse the
promised funds pledged during the Forum of Development Partners
of Burundi which took place in Brussels in January 2004.
The Group considers that Burundi is at a crossroad and that
the efforts made by the Government and the people must be
matched by strong international support, in the framework
of a true partnership.
On the occasion of the General Debate of the 59th session
of the General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Domitien Ndayizeye, President
of the Republic of Burundi visited the United Nations and
also met with the ECOSOC Ad Hoc Advisory Group on 23 September
2004. The discussion focused on the challenges of materializing
donor disbursements as well as on a possible follow-up mission
to Burundi by the Ad Hoc Advisory Group.
The Ad Hoc Advisory Group met with the UNDG/ECHA Working
Group on Transition issues on 10 December 2004. At this
event, the UNDG/ECHA Working Group presented its main conclusions,
particularly as it related to Burundi, as well as provided
an update on the coordination/transition mechanisms by the
UN at country level, including the impact of ONUB (United
Nations Operations in Burundi).
In 2005 and 2006, the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Burundi held a series of meetings with H.E. Mrs. Antoinette Batumubwira, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Burundi. These meetings acknowledged the efforts made by the Government to mobilize as many donors as possible around the poverty Reduction Strategy Paper and its three year implementation plan. The Minister announced that two donor conferences were planned: the first one to discuss a one-year support programme aimed at satisfying the most pressing needs of the people and allowing them to see the dividends of peace, and the second one scheduled for late 2006. The Minister also stressed the complementarities in the development plans prepared by the Government and the existing articulation between them.
At the 2006 substantive session of the Economic and Social Council, the Council, taking into account the decision of the Peacebuilding Commission to address the needs of Burundi , decided to terminate the mandate of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Burundi . (Please see resolution 2006/12 of 26 July 2006)
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Reports
Resolutions
- Resolution 2006/12, Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Burundi , 26 July 2006
- Resolution 2005/33, Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Burundi , 26 July 2005
- Resolution 2005/1, Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Burundi, 1 March 2005
- Resolution 2004/60, Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Burundi , 23 July 2004
- Resolution 2004/2, Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Burundi, 3 May 2004
- Resolution 2003/16, Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Burundi, 21 July 2003
Decisions
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