鈥淭he only enemy that remains a threat to citizens, in addition to the聽COVID-19聽pandemic,聽which is common to all of us, is poverty,鈥澛燛variste聽Ndayishimiye聽declared.聽

The Head of State聽was speaking at UN Headquarters聽on the third day聽of the聽high-level week of the General Assembly.聽After being held virtually last year, this year鈥檚 gathering features聽鈥渉ybrid鈥� activities that include leaders in person along with virtual participants.聽

The Burundian leader聽noted聽that聽his country聽celebrates,聽in 2021, six decades聽of聽independence and membership in the United Nations.聽

鈥淚t is,聽therefore,聽a moment to remember that the United Nations played a big role because since the end of the First World War, Burundi was managed under the mandate of the League of Nations and then of the United Nations,鈥� he said.聽

A moment for hope聽

Pointing to聽the theme of聽this year鈥檚聽debate,聽A聽Presidency of Hope,聽he said聽it has special meaning for Burundians.听听

鈥淣ot only in the face of the devastating effects of the聽COVID-19聽pandemic, but also the consequences of these repetitive crises that have been perpetrated in the country with complete impunity,鈥澛爃e explained.听听

To聽overcome聽these difficulties,聽he said his聽Government聽identified聽a number of聽priorities in the聽National Development Plan of Burundi, PND 2018-2027. He called聽the initiative聽鈥渁n ambitious and transformative program that can accelerate the process of socio-economic development.鈥澛�

On the issue of聽good governance and social justice, he聽said聽鈥渢he fight against corruption, economic embezzlement and the fight against impunity are among the priorities of the Government.鈥澛�

Turning to聽peace and security, he said it聽is聽鈥渦ndeniable鈥� that international community has had some successes聽fighting聽terrorism, but it聽must recognize that聽it聽is 鈥渇ar from having developed a common, adequate and effective strategy to annihilate this scourge.鈥澛�

鈥淏eyond the necessary military action, the effective fight against terrorism聽includes聽a聽fight聽against radicalization,聽which is rooted in ignorance, poverty, youth unemployment and illiteracy,鈥� he argued.聽

He added that his聽Government聽is聽concerned about the proliferation of terrorism in the region, including in the eastern region of the Democratic聽Republic of聽Congo聽(DRC), where extremist groups 鈥渞ecruit unemployed young people who blindly聽kill聽peaceful and innocent citizens.鈥澛�

鈥淚 remain convinced that these groups pose a threat not only to our region but to all humanity鈥�, he said.聽

It is in this context that,聽since 2007, Burundi has made military and police contingents available to the United Nations and the African Union,聽he informed.聽These officers continue to serve聽in countries聽such as Somalia and the Central African Republic.听听

Human rights issues聽

Mr.聽Ndayishimiye聽also made a note about聽the聽,聽saying聽of that body鈥檚 work that聽鈥渁ny tendency to single out Burundi by attaching special human rights mechanisms to it is simply counterproductive.鈥澛�

鈥淚n practice, the Government has focused on the protection of human rights, respect for democratic principles, freedoms of opinion, expression and the press,鈥� he guaranteed.聽鈥淎聽lot of effort has been made thanks to the establishment of an almost permanent dialogue between political parties, the media and the public authorities.鈥澛�

He also聽noted that聽his country welcomes refugees and Burundians who return to their country.聽He聽explained聽that, since聽July 2020, more than 75,000 refugees returned voluntarily, adding聽to more than 50,000 who returned聽without going through specialized UN agencies.聽

鈥淲ith peace and security restored, Burundian refugees, including political actors, are returning聽overwhelmingly and are greeted with love and dignity,鈥� he assured.聽

Lastly, he welcomed the 鈥渉istoric decision鈥澛爋f the聽Security Council聽and the 探花精选 and Security Council of the African Union to remove Burundi from their political agendas in recognition of the return of peace.听听

听听