Statement on Conclusion of Burundi Power Sharing Talks

Consultations relating to post-election power sharing in Burundi were successfully concluded in Pretoria, Republic of South Africa in the early hours of Wednesday, 21 July 2004.

The talks began on Sunday 18 July. The Burundi delegations comprised the Transitional Government, led by President Domitien Ndayizeye, Frodebu led by Dr Jean Minani, CNDD-FDD led by Mr Pierre Nkurunziza, and Uprona led by Mr Jean-Baptiste Mwanangari.

The meeting took place in line with the continuing work of facilitating the peace process in Burundi, and with an added mandate given to Facilitation by the Great Lakes Heads of State Regional Summit of 5 June 2004, to help Burundi parties to resolve outstanding matters with regard to the peace process and implementation of agreements. This meeting followed other consultations which took place earlier in Burundi and South Africa.

Discussions were held with the parties on a wide range of issues, including specific proposals and views from different parties, focusing on finding a power sharing solution that would ensure peace and stability in Burundi.

The consultations were broadly guided by the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement of 2000 and the Global Ceasefire Agreement.

There was general agreement on the proposals presented by the parties. However, the Uprona party registered its objections to some few aspects of power sharing and requested that these be noted and recorded.

AGREEMENT BY PARTIES

The following are some of the key elements of power sharing agreed to by the parties:-

• As per the Arusha Agreement, the first post-transitional President shall be elected by the National Assembly and the Senate sitting together by the majority of two thirds of the votes.
• The President of the Republic shall appoint two Vice-Presidents who shall have previously submitted their candidacy for approval by the National Assembly and Senate. They shall belong to different ethnic groups and political parties.
• The Senate will be constituted on the basis of 50/50 percentage representation of Hutus and Tutsis and 3 Senators from the Twa tribe, with a minimum 30 percent of the whole being women. The inclusion and participation of other ethnic groups i.e. the Batwa and Baganwa in the Senate, on an equal basis should be strived for. The former Presidents shall be entitled to sit in the Senate. The Senate may co-opt up to three members of the Batwa group.
• The National Assembly will be constituted of 60 percent Hutu Deputies, 40 percent Tutsi Deputies, and three Deputies from the BaTwa group, with a minimum of 30 percent of the whole being women. Through the list processes and co-option measures, the representation of the Batwa and Baganwa in the National Assembly should be increased to atleast 10%, respectively.

For the purpose of the first election each commune council shall appoint a commune administrator. For subsequent elections, the National Assembly and the Senate may after evaluation, legislate for the administrators to be elected by direct universal suffrage. In compliance with the principle of ethnic parity, at the national level, not more than 67% of the commune administrators shall be from either of the two main ethnic components.

• The Government, composed of a Council of Ministers, will be made up of 60 percent Hutu Ministers and Vice-Ministers and 40 percent Tutsi Ministers and Vice-Ministers, taking care of the overall representation. All parties that gain at least 5 percent of the votes cast for the members of the National Assembly will be entitled to serve in the Council of Ministers, in proportion to their representation in the National Assembly.
• The state defence and security organs, including the Defence Force, the Police and the Intelligence Services will be constituted according to balances that were agreed during the Transitional Period, taking into account the necessity to ensure ethnic equilibrium and prevent acts of genocide and the unconstitutional seizure of power.

The Facilitator, Deputy President Zuma, congratulated the parties on the agreement reached. He urged the parties to commit themselves to implementing the agreements and to work together to prepare for elections and the post-election consolidation of democracy and reconstruction and development process.

The Deputy President is to travel to Burundi on 26-27 July to brief stakeholders on the new power sharing arrangement agreed to.

This afternoon, Wednesday 21 July, Deputy President Zuma held discussions with President Ndayizeye as well as Frodebu and CNDD-FDD leaders to discuss progress in the implementation of the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement, including the integration of the CNDD-FDD into the state and parliamentary institutions. Substantial progress was made.

Enquiries : Lakela Kaunda on 082 782 2575.

Issued by The Presidency
Pretoria

21 July 2004