Mr President, we are about to debate a resolution on Burundi. I think it is useful to recall the background to the current situation in that country. It is now ten years since the murder of Mr Ndadaye, its first democratically elected President. Since then, Burundi has been ravaged by civil war. The war amounted to a confrontation between ethnic groups. Sadly, it resulted in almost 300 000 deaths. A peace process is currently under way. Initially, this was led by the President of Tanzania, Julius Nyerere, and later by Mr Mandela. The terms of the process provide for a cessation of armed conflict. This was to be followed by the various stages of an electoral process and transition to democracy. An equitable power sharing system was to be established, together with a rotating Presidency passing from Hutus to Tutsis every 18 months. All these arrangements are contained in the August 2000 Arusha Peace Agreement which resulted in the present transitional government. A delegation from the Committee on Development and Cooperation visited Burundi between 22 and 27 June of last year. On 9 July 2003 the President of Burundi appeared before the Committee on Development and Cooperation. On 8 October an agreement on effective implementation of the cease-fire was reached between the Government and the main faction of the so-called Forces for the Defence of Democracy led by Pierre Nkurunziza. Unfortunately, armed confrontations between groups such as the FDD and the FNL have continued. The African Union has dispatched the African Mission In Burundi peace-keeping force known as the AMIB. It consists of 3 000 soldiers from Ethiopia, South Africa and Mozambique. The force is tasked with assisting in the disarmament and demobilisation of rebel soldiers and with their reintegration back into society. In addition, if peace is maintained, it should be easier to for humanitarian aid supplies to reach displaced persons and the population in war-torn areas. The last of the AMIB soldiers arrived in Burundi last Sunday. The force is financed by the United States, France, the United Kingdom and Mozambique. Nonetheless, there appear to be financial difficulties over keeping it in the field. At the same time, the problems in the south of Kivu are ongoing. Confrontations are still taking place and they represent a threat to peace in the region. The European Union suspended aid to Burundi in January 1997. Aid was reinstated, however, following the response to the peace negotiations. EUR 48 million was granted for a rehabilitation programme aimed mainly at supporting the return of displaced persons and demobilisation. The programme also aimed to facilitate justice and reconciliation. In addition, institutional support amounting to EUR 2 million was awarded to the Ministry of Economy. A further EUR 150 million was allocated at the Paris Conference in 2001. This included an ECHO programme for the return of Burundian refugees from Tanzania supported by UNHCR. European Union funds amounting to EUR 285 million are currently available to Burundi. Additional funds will be allocated under the ninth EDF. We would like this resolution to serve as a reminder to the authorities in Burundi that they need to involve women in the peace process. We believe women have an important part to play in the latter. We also encourage neighbouring countries to support the peace process in Burundi. Finally, we hope to be able to rejoice that peace has come about in this small country in central Africa.

Political group: PSE