WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
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IV. ANALYSIS OF TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY SECTOR
(1) OVERVIEW
1. Agriculture plays a key role in Burundi's economy.  Coffee is the principal export, followed
by tea.  Small farmers account for most of the production of these commodities.  A prominent feature
is the presence, in most branches of commercial agriculture, of semi-public enterprises and entities
involved in processing and marketing activities.  Since the beginning of the 1990s, various reformshave resulted in a certain reduction in State involvement, which, however, is still considerable,
particularly through the fixing of prices for producers of coffee, tea, cotton and sugar and through the
dominant position of the semi-public enterprises.  In general, these subsectors are in difficulty, since
the presence of so many intermediaries is inflating post-production prices to levels in excess of those
on the international market.
2. The main trade policy tool is customs duty, which provides a high level of protection for
products such as coffee, tea, meat, fishery produ cts and some vegetables.  Various exemptions, in
particular from the payment of transaction tax and customs duties on inputs, are granted as incentives,
and the State guarantees loans to the coffee subsector.  Export taxes are imposed on most agricultural
products at the standard rate of 5 per cent, except for coffee, which is subject to a tax of 31 per cent,although this has not been collected since 1999.  The Government grants loans to the agricultural
sector through the Burundi National Economic Development Bank (BNDE) and specialized funds
targeting small-scale projects.  The agricultural sector suffers from the parceling out of the land into
small holdings and the lack of a true property market, which is affecting productivity and
discouraging investment.  The exchange rate policy pursued before the reforms of August 2002
tended to encourage the smuggling of certain products, particularly green coffee.  One of the
Government's aims is to promote exports of "non-traditional" agricultural products such as fruit,flowers and nuts.  However, the development of these markets is being hampered by, among other
things, the poor infrastructure.
3. Burundi possesses some mineral resources which are still underdeveloped.  The principal
constraints are lack of transport infrastructure, poor access to foreign ports and the country's internal
instability.  Nevertheless, resources (such as colombo-tantalite), whose exploitation requires little inthe way of capital equipment, have undergone a certain amount of development and contributed to an
increase in the sector's exports in 2001.
4. The manufacturing sector is underdeveloped, accounting for about 16 per cent of GDP.
Exports of manufactured products were almost non-existent until 2001, when sales of beer on the
markets of the neighbouring countries contributed to a slight increase in their share of total exports.The Government views the textile and clothing industry as a sector that could increase Burundi's
manufacturing capacity.  Accordingly, it has introduced several selective protection measures, in
particular a surcharge on certain textile and clothing imports and a ban on imports of cotton duck.
There is an escalating tariff structure for textiles and clothing, which ensures fairly substantial
effective protection for the subsector’s finished products.  This tariff structure differs from that of themanufacturing sector in general with its mixed escalation.  The latter does nothing to encourage
investment in processing activities.  The Government has tried to steer production towards exports, in
particular through a law on export promotion and by establishing a free zone system.  However, these
efforts are being hampered by the very high level of tariff protection which, other things being equal,
encourages production for the domestic market.  To the small producer, the procedures for reducing
customs duties, in particular through drawback, seem complicated and it would therefore be
preferable to apply uniformly low tariffs on imported inputs.Burundi WT/TPR/S/113
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5. The Government of Burundi is aware of the importance of services for the development of its
economy.  Certain reforms have already been introduced, in particular where financial services are
concerned, with the adoption of prudential regulations and indirect monetary policy instruments, and
in telecommunications, with the liberalization of the mobile phone system and the beginning of the
process of privatization of the fixed-network operator.  The Government is planning reforms in the
energy sub-sector, in particular the liberalization of the power industry whose tariffs tend to penalizecommercial and industrial consumers.  Burundi has assumed limited commitments under the General
Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and has not participated in the post-Uruguay negotiations on
financial services and basic telecommunications.
(2) 
AGRICULTURE AND RELATED ACTIVITIES
6. In 2001, agriculture employed more than 90 per cent of the labour force and accounted for
36 per cent of GDP.  The area with a potential for agriculture covers 2,350,000 hectares, almost one
million of which consist of upland soils whose productivity depends heavily on the correction of their
acidity and aluminous toxicity.  Almost 81 per ce nt of the potential agricultural area is under
cultivation.  Food crop farming is the most important activity;  in 2001, food crops occupied 90 per
cent of the cultivated land and accounted for 27 per cent of GDP (as compared with 3.6 per cent forlivestock raising).
1  Export crops accounted for the remaining 10 per cent of the cultivable area.
Agriculture's share of exports was, on average, 90 per cent between 1994 and 2001.  Coffee is by far
the principal export product and its share of total exports was 72 per cent, on average, between 1997
and 2001.2  With a 10 to 15 per cent share of exports, tea is the other principal export product.  In the
past, Burundi also exported cotton, but in recent years production has fallen appreciably and is almost
all absorbed by local industry.
7. The main products of food crop farming are:  legumes, particularly beans, soya, peas and
green bananas;  tubers and other root vegetables, particularly manioc, sweet potatoes, potatoes and
yams;  and cereals, including maize, sorghum, rice and wheat.  Burundian stock farmers raise cattle,
goats, poultry, sheep, rabbits and pigs.  The products of food crop and stock farming are mainly
intended for domestic consumption.  Apart from coffee and tea, the other export products are,
depending on the year, cotton and sugar.
8. Subsistence farming is practised by about one million rural families and the average size of
the plots is about 0.8 hectares.  The small peasant farmers grow food crops such as maize, rice, beans,
potatoes and manioc for local consumption.  They also produce coffee and tea for export.
9. The outbreak of the crisis in 1993 had a serious effect on agricultural production because of
the large number of deaths and the many refugees (Table IV.1).  The crisis slowed and even reversedthe growth in the production of the principal food crops recorded between 1985 and 1993, the result
of an increase in the area sown with cereals.  Thus, the production of maize and beans fell by nearly
50 per cent (from 1993 to 1998), while production of manioc, sweet potatoes and potatoes declined by
21, 20 and 35 per cent, respectively.  Herds also suffered heavy losses:  between 1993 and 1997 the
numbers of bovine cattle, sheep and goats fell by 32, 58 and 40 per cent, respectively (Table IV.2).
3
This reduced the availability of natural fertilizer, with a knock-on effect on crops.  The destruction of
equipment and infrastructure and the unavailability of imported inputs due to lack of hard currency
further reduced the yield of the agricultural sector, already diminished by structural problems such as
the parceling out of the land and  the rural population's lack of access to modern technology.  The low
rainfall between 1988 and 2001 aggravated the decline in agricultural production.
                                                     
1 Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies of Burundi (ISTEEBU) (2000).
2 ISTEEBU (2001).
3 ISTEEBU (2001).WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
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Table IV.1
Trends in the main food crops, 1990-99
(thousands of tonnes)
Crop 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Cereals 293 300 308 300 219 290 273 292 314 266
Legumes 366 375 383 374 285 345 325 298 291 262
Tubers 1413 1449 1449 1449 1124 1403 1364 1296 1501 1497
Bananas 1547 1020 1020 1580 1268 1564 1544 1297 1573 1526
Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
Table IV.2
Trends in livestock, 1992-99(thousands of head)
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Bovines 459,3 .. .. 388,9 346,3 311 319,6 355,4
Goats 975,2 .. .. 772,7 659,6 585 631,8 775,8
Sheep 392,0 .. .. 236,2 190 163,1 199,9 212
Pigs 223,2 .. .. 78,7 73,3 89,5 92,3 206,3
Poultry 908 .. .. .. 457,8 452 490 546
Rabbits 186,3 .. .. .. 78,6 72,3 .. 131,8
.. Not available.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
10. Burundi's code of land tenure is a dual system of written and customary law.  Landowners
may place their properties under one system or the other.  Material and technical obstacles and the
cost of registration have discouraged owners from reso rting to the formal system.  This has resulted in
most land not being registered and in the nonexistence of an official market in land.  Land disputes are
settled at the commune ("colline") level.  Disputes which cannot be settled at this level are brought
before the courts and decided in accordance with the code of land tenure and customary law.
11. The Government has announced its intention of reviewing the code of land tenure to make it
easier to apply.4  The revitalization of the agricultural sector would be facilitated if this review helped
to consolidate agricultural holdings and establish a genuine property market.  Greater respect for
rights of tenure would also encourage rural lending.
(i) Evolution of agricultural policy
12. The agricultural sector benefits from very high nominal tariff protection, as well as certain tax
exemptions and reliefs (Chapter III(2)(iii)(e)).  Prior to January 2003, the simple average customs
duty in the sector was 67.5 per cent.  A maximum rate of 100 per cent applied, in particular, to
imports of meat, fish and most fishery products, coffee, tea, cocoa and certain vegetables (for
example, tomatoes and beans).  With the tariff reduction applied in January 2003 and the replacement
of the 100 per cent rate by a rate of 40 per cent, the average customs duty fell to 32.8 per cent.Imports of vegetable products are subject to phytosanitary measures, while, in principle, meat imports
are subject to health regulations (Chapter III(2)(vi)(b)).  The taxes which specifically affect the
agricultural sector are:  cattle tax of FBu 200 per head;  and a flat-rate levy, a sort of profits tax,
applied to purchases of palm nuts and palm oil by soap and oil factories and other traders.
                                                     
4 Government of Burundi (2001).Burundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 57
13. The revitalization of agriculture and stock farming is part of the Interim Economic Growth
and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper.  The aim is to re turn to and then surpass the pre-crisis levels of
production and encourage the diversification of cash crops.  Priority is being given to the promotion
of micro-enterprises and handicrafts.
14. A first series of measures, planned for the short term, involves providing farmers with quality
seed, partly through the revitalization of the seed production centres;  training the rural population inthe use of modern farming methods;  rebuilding herds decimated during the crisis;  improving access
to agricultural inputs, particularly fertilizer;  rehabilitating farm equipment;  and providing better
support for producers by disseminating new technologies and the results of applied research.  In the
medium term, the principal measures envisaged are the creation of a regulatory framework conducive
to investment in the agricultural sector;  encouragement of the use of modern inputs and their localproduction;  the establishment of agricultural credit structures to promote SMEs and micro-
enterprises;  providing stock farmers with techniques and drugs for preventing and treating cattle
diseases;  and improving water and soil management (more specifically, conservation).  It is also
planned to organize marketing channels, to support the agricultural sector (including stock farming),
and to encourage to the diversification of production through specialized research institutes.  It is alsointended to introduce incentives through a revision of the Investment Code;  this would be in addition
to the incentives already provided in the Tax Code for encouraging investment in the agricultural
sector.
15. The State plans to continue its financial support for the agricultural sector, in particular
through the Burundi National Economic Development Bank (BNDE), which is providing substantial
backing for this sector.  The sector's share of BNDE loans has increased considerably and now stands
at between 40 and 60 per cent.  Although, in principle, the BNDE also grants long-term loans, inpractice its lending is either short-term (53 per cent of operations) or medium-term (47 per cent).  The
BNDE provides loans for both individual farmers and production cooperatives.  In order to alleviate
the effects of the crisis on the agricultural sector, the Government has also set up a Local
Development Fund (FDC) and a non-profit associa tion called "Twitezimbere", which in Kirundi
means "self-help".  These two funds target small-scale projects and grant loans up to a limit of FBu 2million, at preferential rates of the order of 7 to 8 per cent per annum.  In 1999, the Government
allocated the FDC a budget of FBu 100 million for financing the agricultural and stock farming
activities of producer associations and interested individuals.  At the end of 1999, the Fund had
financed development projects totalling FBu 339.3 million.  By December 2002, the FDC and
Twitezimbere had each financed nearly 200 farms.  According to the authorit ies, this financing has
not been sufficient to meet the need.
16. As regards the rehabilitation and development of the rural infrastructure, progress has been
made with rural electrification, with the assistance of the European Investment Bank.  Programmes
for the rehabilitation and construction of piped drinking water supply systems and other infrastructure
have been set up or extended in almost all the provinces, with the support of the World Bank, theEuropean Investment Bank and the European Deve lopment Fund.  Nevertheless, limited financial
resources have restricted government investment in the replacement of rural infrastructure.  The
Government intends to seek the support of foreign donors to finance infrastructure rehabilitation.  Aid
is also being requested to enable the Burundi Institute of Agronomic Sciences (ISABU) and the
Institute of Agronomic and Zootechnic Research (IRAZ) to resume their research activities.
17. The effectiveness of all these measures will depend on the institution of other reforms.  First
of all, it will be necessary to reduce State intervention via State enterprises so as to enable privateinvestment to act as the catalyst for growth, in a ccordance with the Government's objectives for the
revitalization of the agricultural sector.  Despite a few reforms, State intervention remains extensive,WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
Page 58
in particular through enterprises involved in ma rketing activities, such as the Burundi Coffee Board,
the Burundi Tea Board, the Cotton Management Company and the Moso Sugar Company.  Only the
production and marketing of tobacco is entirely in private hands.  The purchasing and distribution
structures within which these enterprises operate are creating serious distortions, in particular because
farmers find themselves confronted with administered prices and numerous intermediaries.5
Secondly, the diversification of agricultural production and the promotion of non-traditional exports
are being hampered by the tariff protection structure (Chapter III(2)(iii)(a)).  The heavy protection
provided for traditional products encourages their production for the domestic market and, from the
viewpoint of a rural entrepreneur, discourages invest ment in the non-traditional sector.  If the tariff
structure is not reformed, the introduction of new incentives is likely to have only a limited effect.
Thirdly, there would seem to be advantages in replacing the present system of incentives, basedlargely on exemption from customs duties and taxes (Chapter III(2)(iii)(e)), by a system based on
reduced customs duties, particularly on inputs, given that recourse to exemptions can pose problems
for small producers.
(ii) Trade policy by main category of products
(a) Coffee
18. Coffee is still Burundi's main export product.  However, its share of total Burundian exports
has fallen, from between 70 and 80 per cent at the beginning of the 1990s to 51 per cent in 2001.  This
is partly due to the collapse in the price of coffee, which halved between end 1999 and August 2002,
with export earnings declining from FBu 42 million in 1999 to 19.7 million in 2001.  There has also
been a decline in total coffee production (Table IV.3).  The reasons for this are to be found in the lack
of security, which has led to the abandonment of so me farms, the increased incidence of parasitic
diseases, and the adverse weather conditions which affected the crop in 1999 and 2001.  The coffeemarketing structure also tends to reduce the profitability of coffee-related activities for peasant
farmers.  Burundian coffee accounts for about 0.5 per cent of world production.
Table IV.3
Coffee production, 1995/96 to 2000/01
(tonnes)
1995/96 1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02
Arabica "Fully washed" 16381 18057 12007 10577 19890 10202 11113.6
Arabica "Washed" 7794 8632 7991 6376.3 11088 8300 4792.3
Total Arabica 24175 26689 19998 16953.3 30978 18502 15905.8
Robusta 329 142 204 98 290 90 230
Total production 24504 26831 20202 17051.3 31268 18592 16135.7
Exports (US$ millions) .. .. 76.6 51 45.9 21.6 16.1
.. Not available.
Source: Burundi Cash Crops Board (OCIBU).
19. Coffee growing was introduced into Burundi by the missionaries at the beginning of the 20th
century.  Coffee is mainly produced on small holdings with an area of at most one hectare and
between 50 and 250 coffee bushes each.  There are about 800,000 coffee planters using traditional
cultivation techniques.  Most planters are organized into collectives in order to receive inputs andadvice from the State.
                                                     
5 Government of Burundi (2002).Burundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 59
20. Almost 95 per cent of annual green coffee production is Arabica, the rest being Robusta.  The
yield of the Arabica plantations varies from 300 to 1,000 kg. per hectare, depending on the region.
There are two classes of Arabica:  "fully washed",6 which is of higher quality, and "washed", which is
of lower quality.  Producers can sell up to 15 per cent of their top-grade coffee production on the
domestic market, but the rest must be exported.  The principal destinations for Burundian coffee are
the European Union, Switzerland and the United States.
21. The coffee sub-sector is heavily protected.  Prior to January 2003, a rate of 100 per cent was
applied to all coffee imports.  The preferential rate applicable to imports from COMESA countries
was 78 per cent.  Within the context of the tariff reductions applied as from January 2003, the MFN
rate was reduced to 40 per cent and the ra te on imports from COMESA to 8 per cent.
22. The Government's coffee policy has evolved since the beginning of the 1990s.  From 1930 to
1990, coffee growing was closely regulated by the authorities.7  The technical, political and
administrative structures were engaged throughout the crop season in applying the coffee-growing
programmes.  Under a 1933 law it was compulsory for every farmer to grow coffee.  Any deviation
from instructions was subject to a reprimand, which could include a fine.  In the 1990s, in the course
of a series of specific reforms implemented under the various structural adjustment programmes, theGovernment began to adopt a more participatory approach, showing a greater readiness to consult
with the planters.  However, there is still consid erable State intervention in the coffee sub-sector in
connection with producer price setting, processing and marketing, and the financing of production and
processing activities.
23. Government coffee policy is implemented by the Burundi Cash Crops Board (OCIBU).
OCIBU supplies plants free of charge to the Provincial Agriculture Directorates which distribute them
among the planters.  It organizes disinfection campaigns, on a non-repayable basis, and even bears thecost of the phytosanitary products.  OCIBU supplies fertilizer to the washing enterprises (see below),
which sell it to the planters on credit.  The State provides advisory services.  However, OCIBU
employs experts to train the planters in coffee-growing techniques.  OCIBU is also responsible for
collecting an export tax on coffee, which varies from 14 to 31 per cent.  However, collection has been
suspended since the 1998/1999 season following the collapse in the price of coffee.  OCIBU alsoengages in marketing activities and establishes quality standards.  OCIBU's activities are financed by
a levy on each kg. of coffee produced.  From 1997 to 2001, the levy ranged from FBu 140 to 165 per
kg.  This levy covers OCIBU's operations, the free inputs for planters, its support and training
activities, and the payment of a commune tax.
24. The processing is done by the washing companies or SOGESTALs, which convert the
cherries into parchment, and by the companie s that convert the parchment into green coffee,
respectively.  The five SOGESTALs are mixed (semi-public) enterprises.  The State participation in
their capital varies from 14 to 81 per cent.  Thes e companies own 133 modern washing stations spread
out over the country’s various regions.  The SOGESTALs purchase the coffee cherries from the
planters at a provisional price fixed in consultation with representatives of all the sectors involved inthe chain.  The provisional price is submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval.  Even after
adoption by the Council, the price remains subjec t to upward (not downward) adjustment if the
estimates are exceeded, whereas deficits are not passed on to the planters.  Payment is made in three
instalments, so that the SOGESTALs contract a short-term debt vis-à-vis  the planters.  The
SOGESTALs deduct the cost of the inputs supplied  on credit from the sum paid to the planters.
                                                     
6 "Ngoma Mild" was recently chosen as the best East African coffee.
7 Nkurunziza, J. and F. Ngaruko (2002).WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
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25. The SOGESTALs deliver the parchment to the millers who remove the parchment skin.
There are four of these companies of which two are public (SODECOs) and two private (SONICOFF
and SIVCA).  The millers are paid by the SOGESTALs for the services rendered, the green coffee
they produce remaining the property of the SOGESTALs.  The SOGESTALs bear the parchment
transport and storage costs.  The planters may also pulp and dry the cherries and turn them into
parchment, which is then sold to traders, withou t passing through the washing stations.  The traders
then sell the parchment to the millers.  The coff ee thus produced is of inferior quality ("washed").
The SOGESTALs deliver the green coffee to OCIBU, which sells it to the exporters at auction in
Bujumbura, receiving a commission.  The reference price for the coffee is the New York price.  The
exporters must hand over all their export earnings to the BRB at the official rate, an obligation which
also applies to cotton and tea.
26. The crop is financed by a banking consortium, with the intervention of the BRB which is
responsible for refinancing;  the refinancing rates and, hence, the bank lending rates are relatively
low.  The State guarantees the payment of these crop loans.  The system of payment of the various
coffee chain operators (planters, washers and millers, and OCIBU) has undergone a series of reforms
since 1990.  The present system, which dates from the 2000/2001 season, is based on 10 years ofstatistics and known costs, and directly exposes all the operators in the chain, with the exception of
the planters, to the laws of the market.  The aim of this system is to guarantee the planters a minimum
nominal income by reducing their exposure to market  fluctuations and to encourage the processors to
produce high-quality coffee efficiently by obliging them to bear the risks associated with failure to
control costs and quality.  Thus, since 1992, the nominal price for the planters, established at the
beginning of the season, has never been lower than that for the previous season.  The payments to the
planters, as well as the cost of the various inputs, are covered by a 71 per cent levy on the price perkg. of the coffee sold at auction.  The remaining 29 per cent is intended to cover the other costs,
including those of the SOGESTALs, of producing firs t-grade ("fully washed") coffee.  If the coffee
delivered by the SOGESTALs is second-grade ("washed"), the residual percentage falls to 25 per cent
and the initial levy amounts to 75 per cent.  Of this 29 (25) per cent, 2.5 per cent is deducted for
OCIBU (its commission), a specific tax of FBu 60 per kg. of green coffee sold as rent for the use ofState property (land, water resources, etc.), and a tax paid to the local authority (commune) of FBu 6.5
per kg. of green coffee.  The SOGESTALs must also deduct from this balance the repayment of the
interest accrued on the bank loans and the milling charge.  The latter is calculated on the basis of a
formula established by OCIBU.
8
27. If the levy of 71 per cent (or 75 per cent, as the case may be) is insufficient to cover the price
set for the planters, the Government must finance the difference (deficit) from its own resources.  In
the past, a stabilization fund, managed by OCIBU, was used to maintain the planters' income when
international prices fell.  However, since the 2000/2001 season, direct subsidies from the National
Treasury have been necessary, as the fund has been in deficit since 1998.  Similarly, if after the initial
levy (71 or 75 per cent) the balance is insufficient, the State guarantee for the bank financing shouldkick in.  Moreover, as the State is also a shareholder in the washing companies and the owner of two
milling companies, losses incurred by these entities would necessitate the transfer of State budget
resources, aid which should be partially replaced by the discharge of the guarantees provided by the
State for the bank financing.
28. In practice, the Government's intention to ensure  a certain level of income for the planters is
being frustrated by inflation, which has steadily been reducing the planters' real income to a level
which, in 2002, represented a quarter of what it was in 1994 (Chart IV.1).  The fact that the producer
                                                     
8 The formula is expressed as follows:  0.24(cP - x), where c is the cost factor (either 0.29 or 0.25
depending on the quality of the coffee), P is the price pe r kilo of coffee sold at auction, and x represents the
other statutory charges that the SOGESTALs must pay.Burundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 61
prices are fixed has also resulted in a decline in the producers' share of the sub-sector's total earnings
during periods of rising coffee prices on the international market (1994/1995 and 1997/1998).  Thus,
the planter's gross remuneration in 1994/1995 and 1997/1998 was 40 per cent of that of the seller, the
one who markets the coffee;  between 1992 and 2001 the planter's share was on average 60 per cent
(Chart IV.2).  Up to 1997/98, the share received by the State, via the export tax, also increased relative
to the planter's remuneration.
29. The costs generated by the numerous intermediaries mean that the sub-sector as a whole is
suffering heavy losses:  the final export cost, incl uding the costs deriving from all the intermediate
stages, has exceeded the international market price by 20 per cent on average since 1996.  The effect
is amplified when the price of coffee on the international market falls, as it has since 1999
(Chart IV.3);  the global deficit for 2001/02 is estimated at FBu 9 billion.  In recent years, the system
has also appeared to encourage the production of coffee of lower quality (washed), despite the
Government’s desire to promote the production of high-grade coffee.  This is due to the fact that somegrowers prefer to produce the parchment themselves, for sale to the millers, via traders, since they
consider that the traders pay on the nail, as distinct from the SOGESTALs, which defer payment.  As
a result, the share of lower-grade (washed) coffee in total production remains fairly high.  Under the
former system of remuneration, in force until 2000, the remuneration of the washing and milling
companies was based on actual production and designed to cover their costs;  these operators had noreal incentive to minimize their production costs or improve the quality of the green coffee produced.
The new system is intended to correct this weakness.  However, higher efficiency in the sector will
probably depend on greater liberalization.  At present, competition is non-existent, as the prices are
fixed and the washing enterprises constitute a monopoly.100120140160180200220240
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 20011991=100Chart IV.1
Real prices for coffee producers, 1994-2001
Source:   IMF, Statistical Annex , March 2000 and October 2002; Bank of the Republic of Burundi,    
               monthl y bulletin, various issues.                                                  WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
Page 62
30. As indicated in Chapter III(3)(ii), green coffee is, in principle, subject to an export tax of
31 per cent;  however, this tax has not been collected since 1999.9  The obligation to surrender 100 per
cent of earnings is still in force;  it was the Government’s intention to reduce the threshold for
earnings to be repatriated from 100 to 70 per cent starting on 1 January 2003.  The effect of these twotaxes (the first explicit, the second implicit) has been to encourage the smuggling of parchment from
Burundi into the neighbouring countries (where pri ces have been liberalized) whenever the nominal
price for the planters is below the market price.  The extent of this smuggling is difficult to estimate
with any accuracy.  Smuggling is probably also enc ouraged by the combination of the fall in the real
prices obtained by growers (as a consequence of the rigidity of the nominal price and inflation) andthe overvaluation of the Burundi franc (before the devaluation of August 2002), which is reported to
have had the effect of  considerably reducing growers’ incomes.  Thus, growers have been prompted
to seek outlets other than those provided by the official channels, a scenario also being played out in
other countries facing similar problems.
10  Reform of the system of exchange controls and an
improvement in macroeconomic management might encourage growers to return to the officialmarket.
                                                     
9 The tax was reduced to 15 per cent in 1997.
10 Henstridge, N. M. (1997).02004006008001,0001,200
1991/92 1992/93 1993/94 1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02Chart IV.2
Income distribution per kg. of coffee, 1991/92-2001/02
FBu
Source: OCIBU.Planters
State
SellersBurundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 63
(b) Tea
31. Tea is Burundi's second export product and accounts for between 10 and 15 per cent of export
earnings.  Green leaf production rose from 20,700 tonnes in 1997 to 44,000 tonnes in 2001, partially
reflecting favourable weather conditions and the reconstruction of the Tweza factory, which had beendestroyed in 1996 during the crisis.  Production of dry tea rose from 4,170 tonnes in 1997 to
9,009 tonnes in 2001 (Table IV.4).  Tea's share of Burundi's export earnings rose from 10.3 per cent in
1997 to 27.4 per cent in 2001, which also partially reflects the poor performance of coffee.
Table IV.4
Tea production, 1997-2001
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Area under cultivation (hectares) 7916 7764 7764 7916 8114
Green leaf production (tonnes) 20720 33166 33463 34883 44041
Dry  tea production 4170 6669 6864 7119 9009
Exports (US$ million) 9 10.9 10.8 12.1 10.6
Source: Burundi Tea Board.
32. In 2000, the cultivated area amounted to 7,916 hectares and production was 7,134 tonnes.
Almost three-quarters of production came from family holdings, the rest coming from plantations
belonging, in part, to industrial units of the Burundi Tea Board (OTB), a wholly public enterprise.
The OTB has a monopoly on the processing of green leaf  into dry tea in its five factories, which have
a total capacity of 10,000 tonnes per year.  The OTB is also responsible for supporting the tea planters-400-20002004006008001,0001,2001,400
1997/98 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02Chart IV. 3 
Profit margin per kg. of coffee produced, 1997- 2002
a       The part of the curve above zero corresponds to a surplus, the part below zero to a deficit.
Source:  OCIBUEx-factory price
Selling price
MarginaFBu  per kg.WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
Page 64
to whom it supplies seed free of charge and sells inputs such as fertilizer and herbicides on credit and
at cost price.  The OTB is also in charge of traini ng the planters in plucking techniques and ensuring a
fine pluck (in accordance with the Pekoe standard of two leaves and a bud).  The OTB buys the tea
leaves from the planters at a price determined on the basis of its technical performance and
projections of the price of dry tea on the international market, operating on the assumption that 4.8 kg.
of tea leaves is needed to produce 1 kg. of dry tea.  The cost of the inputs is deducted from the pricepaid to the planters;  this price is, on average, 30 to 35 per cent of the market price for the dry tea.
33. Almost 95 per cent of the tea produced in the OTB's factories is exported, mainly through the
Mombasa auction market (on average, 60 per cent of production).  The sales are made, for the account
of the OTB, by international brokers with which the Board negotiates annual contracts.  The
commission paid is 1 per cent of the sales turnover.  The other costs incurred by the OTB relate to thetransport of the dry tea by road to Mombasa and its storage.  Almost 35 per cent of production is
exported through direct sales to foreign customers at a price at least equal to that on the Mombasa
market (f.o.b. Dar-Es-Salaam).  The quantity per direct sale contract does not normally exceed
100 tonnes.  Direct sales, organized one day after the auction sales, have the advantage of eliminating
transport and storage costs.  The rest of the tea produced (about 5 per cent) is consumed locally.
34. Prior to January 2003, tea imports were subject to a customs duty of 100 per cent.  Following
the tariff reforms introduced on 1 January 2003, the duty rate fell to 40 per cent.  The preferential
tariff for imports from COMESA fell from 78 per cent to 8 per cent.  There is no export quota.  There
are plans to reform the sector, in particular by privatizing the processing plants.  This would involve,
among other things, the redirecting of the OTB's activities towards advisory services rather than
production.
(c) Cotton
35. Formerly, cotton was the third export product, after coffee and tea.  However, since 1996,
virtually no cotton has been exported, production having been sold entirely on the local market.
Production has been particularly badly affected by insecurity and the vagaries of the weather, in
particular the droughts in 1998 and 2001.  From 1993 to 1999, the planted area declined almost
continuously from 8,491 to 2,977 hectares, with plantations being abandoned as a result of thepopulation being displaced, particularly from the regions of Imbo-North and Imbo-South.  Seed cotton
production fell from 8,813 tonnes in 1993 to 2,381 tonnes in 1997, and has stayed relatively low
(between 2,500 and 3,300 tonnes) since 1998 (Table IV.5).  In 1999, the low level of domestic
production of cotton fibre led to an excess domestic demand which was met by imports.  Cotton is
mainly produced on small plantations scattered over the Imbo-North, Imbo-South and Moso regions.The work is done manually on 73 per cent of the plantations (100 per cent in the Moso region).
Table IV.5
Cotton sector:  principal indicators, 1993-2001
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Area planted (hectares) 8491 6067 6001 4070 3554 3534 2977 3564 3116
Production of seed cotton (tonnes) 8813 4915 4593 2605 2381 3232 2580 2585 2901
Local sales of cotton fibre (tonnes) 1181 946 872 1029 692 1530 1874 901 635
Exports of cotton fibre (tonnes) 1793 3665 893 150
Table IV.5 (cont'd)Burundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 65
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Income from local sales of cotton fibre
(FBu millions)292 317 369 513 354 878 1088 655 770
Income from exports of cotton fibre
(FBu millions)521 1365 445 81
Production of cottonseed (kg.) .. 2423 2278 1244 1040 1374 1095 1041 1220
Income from sales of cottonseed (FBu
millions).. 35.5 32.9 20 16 37.3 41.4 49 72.6
.. Not available.
Source: COGERCO.
36. The customs duty applied to imports of raw cotton and cotton waste is 10 per cent.  Products
obtained by processing raw cotton, such as cotton yarn and fabrics and cotton clothing, are more
heavily protected, by a 40 per cent tariff.
37. Apart from the cotton planters, the sector includes the Cotton Management Company
(COGERCO), the Bujumbura Textile Complex (COT EBU), and the RAFINA, which operates a plant
for extracting oil from cottonseed.  COGERCO  and COTEBU are public enterprises, whereas
RAFINA is a private company.  Of these three enterprises, only COGERCO has direct commercial
relations with the planters.  It provides advisory services (agronomic expertise, training in cultivation
techniques), inputs (seed, fertilizer and pesticides) and agricultural implements on credit, the loanbeing repaid when the seed cotton is sold.  COGERCO buys the seed cotton from the planters and
converts it into cotton fibre.  At present, the planters have no buyer other than COGERCO.  The fibre
is sold mainly to COTEBU and, to a lesser extent , to the private textile enterprise LOVINCO.  The
cottonseed is sold mainly to RAFINA for making cottonseed oil.  Cottonseed is also sold to stock
farmers and as seed to planters.  The prices paid to the planters are fixed by COGERCO, inaccordance with its cost and income projections.  Th e price for seed cotton intended for making cotton
fibre varies according to the quality, three grades being recognized.  Between 1997 and 2001, the
price difference was, on average, 13.7 per cent between first and second grades and 34 per cent
between second and third grades.  The prices paid to the planters are reviewed annually;  in principle,
the nominal price is never adjusted downward.  The international market price for cotton is only takeninto account indirectly, the contract between CO TEBU and COGERCO stipulating that the price of
the cotton sold to the former by the latter must be an average of the international cotton price
(section IV(3)(ii)).  During the period 1994 to 1999, the price at which cotton fibre was sold to
COTEBU was 2.5 to 3 times higher than the price paid to the planters.  As COTEBU is the main
consumer of cotton fibre, the planters’ remuneration is also affected by its poor performance
(section IV(3)(ii)).
38. Fluctuations in the price of cotton are abso rbed, in the first instance, by COGERCO or
COTEBU.  In the event of a fall, as the nominal price for the planters is not adjusted downward,
COGERCO sees its income decreasing faster than its costs.  Consequently, COGERCO’s selling price
cannot be reduced beyond a certain threshold;  to some extent, COTEBU also absorbs part of the
impact, since the local market is imperfect (absence of competition).  COGERCO (like COTEBU) is
heavily in deficit, with a global debt of ne arly FBu 2.9 billion.  The losses of COGERCO and
COTEBU are absorbed by the National Treasury.
39. The contract of July 2000 between COGERC O and RAFINA calls for the price paid by
RAFINA to be reviewed annually in accordance with th e percentage increase in the price paid to the
planters.  The aim is to use part of the income from sales to RAFINA to support the price for the
planters.  The income from sales of cottonseed represents a relatively minor part of COGERCO’sglobal income.WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
Page 66
(d) Sugar
40. The area planted with sugarcane is estimated at 3,000 hectares.  Nearly 90 per cent of the
sugarcane is produced by industrial units belonging to the Moso Sugar Company (SOSUMO).
SOSUMO is a semi-public company with a State-appointed board which owns the only factory for
converting raw cane sugar into white sugar.  The remaining 10 per cent is produced by small
plantations, mostly situated within a 15 km radius of the factory.  SOSUMO provides the smallplantations with inputs such as fertilizer and pesticides on credit.  The company buys sugarcane from
the small plantations at a price determined by the board, the cost of the inputs supplied being deducted
from the price paid.  The price paid to the sugar cane producers depends on SOSUMO's  market price
projections and the operating costs of its industrial units.
41. The market price of sugar is fixed by the SOSUMO board and approv ed by the Council of
Ministers.  Exports are subject to a quota calculated on the basis of estimated household consumption;
quantities of sugar are allocated by district.  The quota system was made necessary by shortages, in
particular during the embargo period.  The system has survived the lifting of the embargo.  The
quantities earmarked for domestic consumption are distributed in accordance with lists of wholesalers
and retailers approved for sugar marketing, on a first-come first-served basis.  Sugar exports increasedconsiderably in 2000 and 2001, despite the imposition of an export quota.  Imports grew substantially
in 2000 so as to satisfy the excess domestic demand, local production having fallen (Table IV.6).  In
general, certain big companies such as Burundi Breweries and Soft Drink Manufactures (BRARUDI)
import a large part of the white sugar which they use as an input.
Table IV.6
Sugar:  production, imports, exports, and domestic sales, 1997-2001
(tonnes)
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Production 19564 21703 20793 18314 19644
Imports 2195 1884 1811 2059 1611
Domestic sales 16078 20922 19084 19643 19806
Exports 300 932 1675 5213 3570
Source: SOSUMO;  Customs Administration;  and Bank of the Republic of Burundi.
42. The customs duty applied to raw sugar imports is 15 per cent.  Other refined cane and beet
sugars receive greater protection, at a rate of 40 per cent.
(e) Non-traditional products
43. Non-traditional products include flowers, some fruit (bananas, mangoes, papayas,
maracudjas), nuts, some vegetables (in particular, French beans, courgettes, spinach, cabbage and
salads), cereals (rice), and herbs (thyme, parsley).  These products are mostly consumed on the
domestic market, the export market being still undeveloped.  There was a surge in exports of non-traditional products between 1992 and 1993, but the outbreak of the crisis prevented this potential
from being exploited.
11  The Government is of the opinion that export promotion in these areas could
help to diversify the structure of Burundi's exports.  It is recognized that the development of non-
traditional exports will require investment in the road and transport infrastructure and in storage
                                                     
11 International Trade Centre (2000).Burundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 67
facilities, particularly at the airport.  The lack of air links with the principal Western markets is a
considerable handicap.12
44. Apart from questions of infrastructure and internal stability, the experience of other countries
of the sub-region shows the importance of economic and trade policy reform for the promotion of
non-traditional products.13  Firstly, as has already been pointed out, the high level of tariff protection
in the agricultural sector does nothing to encourage production efficiency and hence greatercompetitiveness where exports are concerned.  The heavy protection accorded to other "traditional"
agricultural products is helping to reduce the retu rns, in comparative terms, on investment in such
activities as fruit and flower production.  In the case of products such as vegetables, which are subject
to high customs duties, the heavy protection appears to be encouraging production for the domestic
market.  Thus, protection operates like an implicit export tax, which has to be paid in addition to anytaxes explicitly imposed.  Secondly, reform of the exchange-rate policy could make a positive
contribution.  It has been pointed out that, under a multiple exchange rate system with a positive list,
the people with access to hard currency are those with connections within the administration, which in
general penalizes the rural and non-traditional operators.
14  In these circumstances, the reforms of
August 2002 should be beneficial.  Thirdly, the policy on inputs should be reviewed.  The classicalproblems associated with the current system based on exemptions for agricultural activities range
from difficulties in completing all the steps necessary to obtain exemptions on inputs to ignorance (on
the part of the producers) of the availability of exemptions or drawback.  It might be more
advantageous to consider applying lower rates, including a zero rate, to essential inputs.
(f) Livestock raising
45. Livestock raising accounts for almost one fifth of agricultural production.  All livestock
production is intended for domestic consumption.  Livestock raising also provides inputs for cropproduction, in particular manure, as well as draught animals.  The principal cattle markets are in
Gitega, Ngozi, Kayanza, Rwibaga, Ratana and Bujumbura, the latter being the most important.  In
principle, all cattle must be taken to an approved abattoir before the meat can be marketed.  The
Bujumbura abattoir, a public enterprise under the Ministry of Livestock, is the main destination for
the cattle.  On average, nearly 40 per cent of the cattle slaughtered are bovine animals;  60 bovineanimals, 70 small ruminants and 8 pigs are slaughtered daily.  Traders pay a slaughter tax of
Fbu 5,000 per head for bovine animals, FBu 550 per head for sheep and goats, and FBu 2,500 per
head for pigs.  Livestock raising has also suffered the ravages of civil war.  From 1993 to 1998,
production of bovine, sheep and goat meat (measured in numbers of head of cattle) fell sharply (see
beginning of section (2) above).  Milk production declined by 18 per cent.  The herd rebuildingprogramme is focusing, among other things, on the need to improve the quality of cattle feed and the
prevention and treatment of the most common diseases.
46. Up to 1997, most milk was produced by the central dairy in Bujumbura, a public enterprise.
This has since ceased operating, and the milk is being produced by private dairy farmers mainly
located in the region of Bujumbura, the principal market.
47. Prior to January 2003, the livestock sector was heavily protected with customs duties of
100 per cent on all meat and meat-based products and 40 per cent on dairy products.  The tariff
reforms of January 2003 resulted in the maximum rate of 100 per cent being reduced to 40 per cent,
which is the current uniform rate for all these products.  The local authorities levy a cattle tax of
Fbu 200 per head.  Grazing land is exempt from property tax.  The other exemptions enjoyed by the
                                                     
12 Segakara, R. (2001).
13 Dijkstra, T. (2001).
14 World Bank (1996a).WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
Page 68
livestock sub-sector are the same as those granted to agricultural activities in general. For all meat
imports, regulations dating from 1938 require a certificate of origin and health, the stamp of the
abattoir of origin and the date of slaughter.  However, there are no implementing measures for this
legislation.
(g) Fishing
48. Fishing constitutes a very small part (around 2 per cent) of total agricultural production.  It is
nevertheless an important activity because of its contribution to the food supply.  Catches depend
heavily on the state of security.  Production is all for the domestic market.  Three types of fishing are
practised in Burundi:  industrial fishing, traditional fishing and artisanal fishing.  Traditional fishing is
a form of inshore subsistence fishing practised in the northern part of Lake Tanganyika, as well as in
Lakes Cohoha and Bweru.  Artisanal fishing is a small-scale commercial activity practised close tothe shores of Lake Tanganyika and in the south of the country and accounting for most of the catch.
There are 54 unloading points along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, at which the fish is first sold.
Transport costs and the lack of storage facilities ma ke it difficult to distribute the fish within the
country.  Industrial fishing represents a very small proportion of fishing activity, but has nevertheless
grown rapidly since 1998.  According to the authorities, this fishing is practised mainly by Greekentrepreneurs.  Processing is confined to smoking or drying the fish using artisanal methods.
49. Before 2003, the maximum customs duty of  100 per cent applied to all fish imports;  fish oils
and fish residues unsuitable for human consumption received less protection.  Starting in January
2003, this maximum rate was reduced to 40 per cent.  Additional protection is provided by the fact
that transaction tax is applied at a rate of 7 per cent on fish of domestic origin and 17 per cent on
imports.  The Government levies a specific tax of FBu 5 per kg. of fish sold (both domestic and
imported).  The cost of a fishing licence varies a ccording to the type of fishing practised:  FBu 2,500
per year for traditional fishing, FBu 5,000 per year for artisanal fishing and FBu 400,000 per year for
industrial fishing.  The fishermen must also obtain a registration certificate (FBu 3,500), a certificate
of seaworthiness (FBu 5,000) and a sailing permit (F Bu 500 per trip).  Industrial fishermen must also
pay a tax of FBu 3,000 per cubic metre on their vessels.  Moreover, the authorities require that the
products of industrial fishing be sold exclusively on the Bujumbura market.
50. The Government considers that the development of artisanal fishing could be a means of
combating poverty.  However, there are many factors that are impeding the development of these
activities.  The various duties and charges levied by the State are inflating the costs, reducing the
income of the artisanal fishermen and making commercial fishing less attractive than subsistence
fishing.  The development of fishing as a commercial activity is also being hindered by the lack ofstorage and freezing facilities, which is making it difficult to preserve the fish for local distribution or
export.  It is estimated that 10 to 15 per cent of national production (i.e. 2,000 to 3,000 tonnes per
year) is being lost as a result of these shortcomings.  It is proposed to establish a micro-credit system
designed, among other things, to enable fishermen to purchase modern equipment, but for lack of
resources no action has yet been taken.
(h) Forestry
51. The forests and other wooded areas make it possible to satisfy 95.3 per cent of the
population's energy needs.  The contribution of forestry activities to GDP is estimated at 2 per cent.
These activities have remained stable.  Forestry occupies about 6 per cent of the country's total labour
force.  Wood meets 95.4 per cent of the country's energy requirements, the rural areas absorbing more
than 76 per cent of total firewood consumption.  Go vernment policy consists, firstly, in increasing the
forest cover, following a period of accelerated deforestation between 1993 and 1997.  The trade inBurundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 69
wood and wood products is unstructured.  In the rural areas transactions are completed directly
between buyers and sellers, about 30 per cent of these transactions taking the form of barter.  A felling
permit must be obtained, together with authorizati on to transport the wood or wood products.  A local
commune tax has to be paid and the municipality of Bujumbura imposes a tax on sales in the capital.
Transaction tax is levied at a rate of 7 per cent on the local wood trade.
52. Exports are few, the principal product being cinchona bark which is sometimes used for
making cosmetics.  The average customs duty on forestry products was 38.4 per cent up until
January 2003 when, as a result of tariff reductions, it fell to 21.6 per cent.  The fact that transaction
tax is applied at a rate of 17 per cent on imports (as compared with 7 per cent on domestic products)
constitutes additional protection.  The tariff protection structure for wood and wood products shows
mixed escalation:   it is negative from the first to the second stage of processing (13.3 per cent ascompared with 12 per cent) and sharply positive from the second to the third (12 per cent as compared
with 36.2 per cent).  Burundi does not export wood or wood products.
(3) 
MINING AND QUARRYING AND ENERGY
(i) Mining and Quarrying
53. Mining and quarrying are underdeveloped.  Their contribution to GDP and exports was
almost zero up to 2001 when colombo-tantalite ("coltan")15 mining helped to raise the sector's share of
Burundi's total exports to 10 per cent.16  Coltan mining can cope relatively well with the lack of
infrastructure as the ore is mined manually with shovels and sieves and sometimes bulldozers.  The
company most active in this sector is the Burundi Mining Agency (COMEBU SA), a private
enterprise with seven shareholders, including a Belgian company.
54. Apart from coltan, there are deposits of nickel, cobalt, copper, cassiterite, phosphates,
vanadium and gold.  The nickel deposits at Musongati represents about 6 per cent of the world'sknown nickel reserves.
17
55. The main constraints on the development of mining are the distances separating the deposits
from the ports of exportation, the lack of transport infrastructure and political instability.  The case of
the Musongati deposit is typical in this respect:  the Australian company Argosy Minerals holds
100 per cent of the project through its subsidiary Andover Resources NL.  The latter succeeded innegotiating a global mining agreement with the Burundian Government which included exemption
from taxes for a period of five years and the right to exploit the deposits at Nyabikere and Waga.  In
2000, because of political instability, Andover Resources invoked the force majeure  clause.  This
clause was deactivated at the beginning of 2002, but re-invoked a few months later.  The political
situation aside, the other fundamental constraint facing investors is Burundi's land-locked situationcombined with the shortcomings of its transport in frastructure.  The Port of Dar-Es-Salaam (United
Republic of Tanzania) is about 2000 km away and it is estimated that more than US$ 500 million
would have to be invested to make the Musongati project pay.
56. Mining and quarrying are governed by the 1976 Mining and Petroleum Code, which
stipulates that, to obtain a licence, a company mu st comply with the provisions of the Companies
Code and must have registered offices in Burundi.  The Code lays down the rules on the granting and
                                                     
15 Once refined, coltan becomes metallic tantalum, which is indispensable for making the capacitors
used in electronic products such as cellular telephones and laptop computers.
16 Although coltan deposits have been recorded in Burundi, it is difficult to explain the sudden increase
in production/exports.
17 "Mbendi:  information for Africa", www.mbendi.co.za.WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
Page 70
use of exploration, prospecting and development permits and concessions.  It makes a distinction
between hydrocarbons and all other minerals.  Exploration permits for minerals other than
hydrocarbons are granted either for a period of up to three years, twice renewable for at most two
years on each occasion, or for a period of up to two years, twice renewable for at most one year on
each occasion.18  Exploration permits for hydrocarbons (H permits) are issued after invitations to
tender have been published in the Official Journal at least three months in advance.  Before theH permit is granted, an agreement is drawn up between the applicant and the ministry responsible for
mines.  The purpose of the agreement is to establish the minimum financial and technical effort
required during exploration;  the tax regime applicable during possible development;  and the
reductions in area with each renewal.  H permits are valid for three years and can be renewed twice
for a maximum of three years on each renewal.
57. Prospecting permits are granted for a period of two years and are renewable for periods of
two years at most.  A prospecting permit does not confer any entitlement to obtain any further mining
authorization.  It is not permissible to prospect for both hydrocarbons and other minerals for which
concessions may be granted.  Operating licences are granted for a period of five years and can be
renewed for a period of five years at a time, provided that the holder has maintained production at alevel that reflects both the potential of the deposit and the situation on the domestic and international
markets.  When the deposit appears to be extensive enough to be mined for more than 15 years, the
licensee may ask for the operating licence to be c onverted into a concession.  Concessions are valid
for 25 years and may be renewed twice for a period of 10 years on each renewal, provided that the
concession-holder has maintained production at a level that reflects both the potential of the deposit
and the situation on the domestic and international markets.  Hydrocarbon deposits can only be
operated under a valid concession.  The duration of a concession is 25 years at most for liquid andsolid hydrocarbons, renewable for maximum periods of ten years on each occasion.  Concessions for
hydrocarbons which are neither liquid nor gaseous are granted for 25 years and may be renewed twice
for 10 years at a time.  Table IV.7 gives a summary of the issuing and renewal costs for the permits
covered by the Mining and Petroleum Code.
Table IV.7
Issuing and renewal costs for mining permits
(FBu)
Operation (issuing/renewal) Cost
Issuing and renewal of prospecting permits 30,000
Issuing of exploration permit A, B, or H FBu 4 per hectare;  minimum of FBu 20,000
per permit
First renewal of exploration permit FBu 6 per hectare;  minimum of FBu 30,000
per permit
Second renewal of exploration permit FBu 8 per hectare;  minimum of FBu 40,000
per permit
Issuing and renewal of operating licence FBu 10 per hectare, minimum of FBu 50,000
per permit
Issuing, extension, reduction, renewal, merger and division of mining concessions
(hydrocarbons and non-hydrocarbons)FBu 40 per hectare;  minimum of FBu 200,000
per concession
Quarry exploration permit FBu 500 /area
Quarry and mine operating licence By ministerial decision
Authorization for the transport of hydrocarbons by pipeline FBu 10,000 per kilometre;  minimum of
FBu 200,000 per authorization
Source: Implementing regulations of the Mining and Petroleum Code.
                                                     
18 The three-year permits are called « A permits » and relate to a polygonal area (any polygon) at least
one of whose sides must be oriented north-south; the two-year permits are known as « B permits » and relate tosquare areas whose sides are oriented north-south and east-west.Burundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 71
58. The Code also provides for certain taxes, in particular the following:  an ordinary royalty
proportional to the area covered by the permit and depending on the nature and size of the deposits to
be developed (Table IV.8);  a supplementary royalty for permits not yet exploited or insufficiently
exploited, fixed at twice the rate of the ordinary royalty, the aim being to encourage the intensive and
rational development of deposits for which permits have been issued;  and an ad valorem  tax based on
production value.  The basic ad valorem  tax rate is not less than 7 per cent for minerals other than
liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons (with the exception of cassiterite, wolframite, colombo-tantalite and
rare earths, which are taxed at 9 per cent), 12.5 per cent for liquid hydrocarbons, and 5 per cent for
gaseous hydrocarbons.  Developers are also subject to industrial and commercial profits tax.  In the
case of hydrocarbons, the tax rate is fixed in the agreement which has to be negotiated between the
developer and the Government.
Table IV.8
Ordinary mining royalty rates
Mining authorization Up to 400 ha 400 to 10,000 ha Over 10,000 ha
Development permit Initial period FBu 5 per ha FBu 8 FBu 10
Subsequent period FBu 10 FBu 15 FBu 20
Mineral concession (non-
hydrocarbons)First three years FBu 20 FBu 30 FBu 50
Subsequent years FBu 100 FBu 300 FBu 500
Hydrocarbon concession First three years FBu 20 FBu 30 FBu 50
Subsequent years FBu 100 FBu 300 FBu 500
Source: Information supplied by the Burundian authorities.
59. The Code also provides for certain tax reliefs:  developers may set aside, with temporary
exemption from profits tax, a "provision for the regeneration of the deposit".  This provision may be
reinvested in a prospecting operation, in the exploration and development of deposits of minerals forwhich concessions can be obtained, or in building or extending a plant to process and refine such
minerals.  The amount of the provision may not exceed 50 per cent of the net accounting profit after
depreciation;  15 per cent of the turnover for mine rals other than liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons;  or
27.5 per cent of the turnover for liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons.  The minerals for which concessions
can be obtained are exempt from exit duty on export.
60. A law adopted in August 2000 regulates the exploitation, purchase and export of minerals
extracted on an artisanal basis or imported into Burundi and requires these activities to be carried out
at agencies ( comptoirs ) approved by the Ministry of Mines and Energy.  This law reflects the increase
in small-scale activities, especially in connection with coltan mining.  It does not apply to gold buying
and selling activities conducted by the Central Bank.  The law stipulates that any natural or legal
person with the necessary material and financial resources may open an agency with the approval of
the Ministry of Mines and Energy.
61. The law establishes an annual royalty for the agencies (the amount of the royalty varies
according to the mineral concerned), an ad valorem  tax, and exit duties on export.  The law also
determines the percentage of freely convertible foreign-currency export earnings that must be
surrendered to the BRB to cover local-currency costs (Table IV.9).  The complete repatriation of
foreign currency is compulsory for agencies incorporated under Burundian law.  Agencies governedby foreign law must operate in freely convertible currencies and may not obtain them from domestic
banks.WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
Page 72
Table IV.9
Taxes, royalties, duties, and percentages of foreign-currency earnings to be surrendered
Mineral Annual royalty Ad valorem  tax Exit duty Percentage
currency transfer
Local gold US$5,000 0.3 per cent 0.2 per cent 1 per cent
Imported gold US$10,000 0.3 per cent 0.2 per cent 0.5 per cent
Local precious stones US$1,000 0.5 per cent 0.5 per cent 1 per cent
Imported precious stones US$5,000 0.5 per cent 0.5 per cent 0.5 per cent
Local semi-precious stones FBu 500,000 0.5 per cent 0.5 per cent 1 per cent
Imported semi-precious stones FBu 500,000 0.5 per cent 0.5 per cent 0.5 per cent
Local cassiterite FBu 100,000 3 per cent 1 per cent 2 per cent
Imported cassiterite FBu 300,000 1 per cent 1 per cent 2 per cent
Local colombo-tantalite FBu 200,000 3 per cent 2 per cent 2 per cent
Imported colombo-tantalite FBu 300,000 1 per cent 1 per cent 2 per cent
Local rare earths FBu 100,000 3 per cent 1 per cent 2 per cent
Imported rare earths FBu 100,000 1 per cent 1 per cent 2 per cent
Local wolframite FBu 100,000 3 per cent 1 per cent 2 per cent
Imported wolframite FBu 100,000 1 per cent 1 per cent 2 per cent
Mica FBu 100,000 3 per cent 1 per cent 2 per cent
Imported mica FBu 100,000 1 per cent 1 per cent 2 per cent
Freestone for export FBu 100,000 1 per cent 1 per cent 2 per cent
Source: Ministerial Order (2000) on agencies for the exploitation, purchase or export of minerals.
62. The approved agencies are exempt from profits tax and property tax for a period of three
years, renewable by joint decision of the ministers responsible for mines and finance
63. Mining and quarrying receive the lowest level of tariff protection, a tariff average of 12.2 per
cent.
(ii) Energy
(a) Electricity
64. Almost 95 per cent of the energy consumed co mes from wood, charcoal or peat, and only one
per cent from electricity.  Almost 95 per cent of the electricity is consumed in Bujumbura and the total
proportion of the population with access to electricity is less than 2 per cent.  For the industrial sector
the distribution of energy sources is as follows:  29.7 per cent comes from wood, 51 per cent from
petroleum products, and 19 per cent from electricity.  The number of customers increased by almost18 per cent between 1997 and 2001, but consumption is coming up against the industry's capacity
constraints.  Despite a considerable potential for hydroelectric development, electric power generation
is very erratic due to lack of investment and fluctuates considerably because of weather conditions
and the state of maintenance of generating plants.  In 2000, total production was 99.26 million
kilowatt-hours, while imports amounted to 47.6 million kilowatt-hours.
65. The sub-sector is under State control and the Minister for Energy and Mines has authority
over the company REGIDESO.  The latter generates electricity in eight hydroelectric power stations,the most important of which are those at Mugere and Rwegura, and is also responsible for its
distribution and marketing.  Between 50 and 60 per cent of the electricity consumed comes from the
Ruzizi I and II power stations, which belong jointly  to Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic
of the Congo (DRC).  These three countries have established the company SINELAC to manage the
project.  Although the power stations are on Burundian territory, the electricity is considered to havebeen imported and the DRC is responsible for their operation.  In November 2000, Rwanda andBurundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 73
Burundi announced their intention jointly to build a dam (Ruzizi III).  Electricity is imported duty
free.
66. REGIDESO is heavily indebted, its total inde btedness amounting to FBu 29.2 billion at the
end of 2000.  Most of its long-term debt (FBu 11.9 bil lion) is owed to the State, while Fbu 11.2 billion
is short-term debt owed to its suppliers.  The company's financial difficulties are due partly to the fact
that it imports some of the electricity generated by SINELAC and has to contend with the additionalcosts linked to the progressive depreciation of the Burundian franc.  They also reflect the fact that
REGIDESO establishes its tariffs partly on the basi s of the average household income in Bujumbura
rather than on production costs, in order to support household electricity consumption.  The tariff rates
in force show that the price of a kilowatt-hour co nsumed by households is, in most cases, less than
that for the electricity supplied to commercial and industrial operators, often by a factor of 1.5 to 3.Moreover, the tariff for commercial consumers, that is to say essentially service enterprises and small
manufacturers, increases progressively with the level of consumption.  Medium-voltage electricity
consumers, mainly the larger manufacturing industries, must pay a fixed premium based on estimated
consumption and a surcharge in the event of excess demand.  The price per hour is degressive
(Table IV.10).  In general, the tariff structure is  designed to ensure that household consumption is
subsidized by the other users (more specifically, trade, industry and government).
Table IV.10
Electricity rates
Service Tariff 2001 (FBu) Tariff 2002 (FBu)
Low-voltage, households
  0 to 150 kWh 21.6 23
  151 to 300 kWh 24.7 26
  301 to 750 kWh 44.2 49
  750 kWh or more 56.6 63
Low-voltage, commercial
  0 to 300 kWh 53.7 66
  301 to 1000 kWh 58.9 73
  1001 kWh or more 64.2 79
Medium-voltage
Fixed power premium 1,684 (FBu/ kWh /month) 1,860 (FBu/ kWh /month)
Surcharge 3,369.4 (FBu/ kWh /month) 3,720 (FBu/ kWh /month)
  0 to 150 h per month 62.71 70
  151 to 450 h per month 40.3 45
  More than 451 h per month 21 30
Without subscribed power 64.2 80
Source: Information supplied by the Burundian authorities.
67. The privatization of REGIDESO was formally begun in 1994;  however, due to the country's
political and economic situation little progress has been made.  The regulatory framework wasreformed in July 2000, with the adoption of a law liberalizing and regulating the public drinking water
supply and electric power services.  The aim is to enable the private sector to invest in these sub-
sectors and to end REGIDESO's monopoly.  As this report was being written, the implementing
regulations for this law were still in preparation.  Certain aspects of the tariff structure are under
review.WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
Page 74
(b) Petroleum products
68. Burundi has neither oil nor gas;  preliminary explorations in collaboration with the
Democratic Republic of the Congo along Lake Tanganyika were unsuccessful.  Accordingly, all
petroleum products are imported, via Mombasa (Kenya) or Dar-Es-Salaam (Tanzania), and
transported by land or by lake.  Imports of these products account for 15 to 20 per cent of total
Burundian imports, depending on the year.  Premium grade petrol and diesel fuel respectively accountfor about 43 and 48 per cent of total consumption of petroleum products.  The poor state of the roads
has contributed to the increase in the price of petroleum products as the Government has been forced
to reduce the upper limit on the amount of petrol transported by lorry from 60,000 litres to
30,000 litres to prevent the deterioration of the road surface.
69. The main distributors are BP-Fina, Shell, Petrobur and Sicopp.  These jointly manage the
Petroleum Storage Company (SEP), which is responsible for the storage facilities near Bujumbura.
Prices are fixed by ministerial order.  The Government uses a single formula for determining prices.
The prices of petroleum products increased steadily, by nearly 90 per cent for petrol and 75 per cent
for diesel fuel, between April 2000 and September 2002, after the Government took the decision to
index the price at the pump on the world price.  This decision was taken for fiscal reasons and to stemthe smuggling of petroleum products re-exported to neighbouring countries, where the price at the
pump is considerably higher than the price fixed in Burundi.  The depreciation of the Burundi franc
has also contributed to the rise in fuel prices.
70. The tariff structure for petroleum products is as follows:  40 per cent on premium grade
petrol, 20 per cent on diesel fuel, 20 per cent on oil, and 0 per cent on kerosene.  In addition to these
ad valorem  duties, specific taxes are levied:  FBu 5.5 per litre on regular petrol, FBu 11.7 per litre on
diesel fuel, and FBu 20 per litre on premium grade petrol.  These specific taxes are channeled into anational road fund.  Petroleum products are also subject to transaction tax and service tax.  On the
basis of the price structures established by Order No. 750-1016 of January 2002, these taxes constitute
about 35 per cent of the price at the pump, and nearly 75 per cent of the difference between the price
at the point of importation and the price at the pump.
(4) 
MANUFACTURING
71. The manufacturing sector is underdeveloped and in 2001 accounted for about 16 per cent of
GDP.  Nearly half of production came from the food industries, including alcoholic beverages,
carbonated beverages, cigarettes, sugarcane, bread, flour, milk, cottonseed oil and groundnut oil.  The
textile industry contributed less than 10 per cent and "other industry and handicrafts" 25 per cent.
Manufacturing sector exports are weak, but show ed signs of increasing between 1999 and 2001, the
value of exports rising from US$ 1.1 million to US$ 4.6 million, i.e. 11.7 per cent of Burundi's total
export earnings.  Progress was greatest in the case of exports of beer, whose value rose from a few
million FBu to FBu 1.2 billion (despite an appreciable decline in production);  sugar, exports of which
increased by 165 per cent;  and to a lesser extent cigarettes.  These manufactured products are mostly
sold in the neighbouring countries.  The Governme nt's intention in formulating its manufacturing
policy is to promote import substitution, on the one  hand, and industries with export potential, on the
other.  Thus, the 1998 Law on export promotion and the Law on free zones provide for various export
incentives (Chapter III(3)(iv) and (v)).
72. The State intervenes in the manufacturing sector through its participation in the capital of
pharmaceutical, textile, beverage, sugar and cattle feed enterprises.  The State also fixes the price of
certain products, in particular beverages and sugar.  Before January 2003, the average tariff protection
(MFN rate) was 29 per cent for the manufacturing sector as a whole;  as a result of the tariffBurundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 75
reductions applied after that date, the average fell to 23.2 per cent.  However, apart from a few rare
industries and subject to certain duty and tax concessions, the tariff structure does not broadly
encourage investment in industry (Chapter III(2)(iii)(b)).
73. The output of most industries in the manufacturi ng sector has declined almost continuously
since 1996.  The lifting of sanctions has not had a significant effect on production, still adversely
affected by the weakness of domestic demand and by the import controls resulting from theGovernment’s exchange rate policy.  The sharpest falls have been recorded in the production of beer
(down 12 per cent per year on average), carbonated beverages (down 10 per cent), milk (down 18 per
cent), sugar (down 2 per cent), cottonseed oil (down 19 per cent), and cigarettes (down 6 per cent).
On the other hand, production of certain building materials (steel pipe and fibro-cement products) and
plastic crates has made some progress (Table IV.11).
74. The principal semi-public company is Burundi Breweries and Soft Drink Manufacturers
(BRARUDI), 59 per cent of whose capital is held by Heineken.  Prices are fixed by the State, which
also levies excise duties on various beverages sold by the company (Chapter III(2)(iii)(b)).  Although
production has declined, exports have increased significantly, market opportunities having been
identified in the sub-region.  The export of an increasing proportion of output can be attributed to acombination of weak domestic demand and the progressive depreciation of the Burundi franc.
Table IV.11
Production of the main industries, 1997-2001
Product 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Products of the food industry
  Beer, Primus (hl) 983,680 820,942 784,401 723,763 533,368
  Beer, Amstels (hl) 177,549 215,379 199,708 167,836 168,819
  Carbonated beverages (hl) 146,580 143,538 126,977 119,867 94,405
  Milk (l) 254,128 288,367 255,667 130,388 116,999
  Sugar (t) 19,582 21,713 20,613 18,315 18,186
  Cottonseed oil (l) 199,715 133,560 111,535 104,370 86,750
  Cattle feed (t) 1,589 957 859 755 144
  Cigarettes (1000 units) 377,145 316,820 353,230 286,240 293,055
Products of the chemical industry
  Paint (t) 369 450 429 440 478
  Insecticides (t) 2,374 1,766 1,163 194 …
  Oxygen (m3) 30,049 31,876 10,598 7,334 52,906
  Polyethylene film (kg.) 128,967 146,771 133,387 216,103 179,309
  Toilet soap (kg.) 332,968 247,166 209,459 175,895 128,858
  Household soap (kg.) 2,431,595 3,415,145 2,696,091 3,038,759 3,072,079
  Bottles (t) 1,791 3,249 3,013 … …
  Foam 23,984 22,257 14,241 12,257 25,265
  Matches (boxes) … 3,662 13,276 12,074 12,768
  Pharmaceutical products (FBu m) 328 475 595 731 950
  Plastic crates (units) 21,271 78,121 45,483 106,502 147,429
Products of the textile and leather industries
  Blankets (units) 217,268 174,407 136,028 141,854 121,598
  Finished fabrics (m) 4,974,182 7,080,204 8,187,439 4,128,505 6,041,378
Building materials
  PVC pipe (kg.) 68,124 55,573 51,821 54,562 93,561
  Fibro-cement products (t) 485 1,568 879 1,643 2,510
  Profiles (kg.)a110,899 108,266 49,084 24,480 17,303
  Steel pipe (kg.) 68,938 277,466 301,520 333,540 365,500
Miscellaneous products
  Stoppers-bottle caps (1000 units) 141,547 232,640 190,347 176,540 146,583
… Not available.
a This item also includes self-supporting alu-zinc tanks and "Estetic" suspended ceilings.
Source: Information supplied by the Burundian authorities.WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
Page 76
75. The Government sees in the textile and clothing  industry an export sub-sector to be promoted.
Unlike the manufacturing sector as a whole, this sub-sector is distinguished by the positive escalation
of the tariff structure, with rates of 13.8 per cent, 33.3 per cent and 37.6 per cent from the first to the
third level of processing, respectively.  The Government also imposes a surcharge on textile imports
and a ban on imports of cotton duck (Chapter III(2)(iv)).  The precarious situation of the principal
textile and clothing company, Bujumbura Textile Complex (COTEBU), seems to be at the origin ofthese measures.  Between 1997 and 2002, COTEBU's production either stagnated or significantly
declined (by 45 per cent for bedspreads, for ex ample).  In 2001, COTEBU's debt amounted to FBu
9 billion.  Its principal problems are its obsolescent machinery, poor access to foreign markets and
financial difficulties with importing cotton, the domestic production of which has fallen.  As it is also
required indirectly to support the nominal prices for cotton planters (section (3)(i) above), COTEBUcannot at present be guided in its activities by purely commercial considerations.  The reform of this
enterprise and the disengagement of the State would contribute to greater production efficiency and
reduce the need to resort to protection measures.  Upstream reform of the cotton chain would also be
beneficial, particularly by giving access to cotton fibre at market prices and enabling COTEBU to
focus on the commercial aspects of its activities.  The privatization of COTEBU, initiated in 1992, isstill pending for lack of buyer interest.  The depreciation of the Burundi franc and Burundi's entry into
the COMESA free trade area could open up new prospects for this sub-sector, as could the possible
inclusion of Burundi among the countries elig ible for the preference s envisaged by the AGOA.
(5) 
SERVICES
76. In 2001, services represented almost 40 per cent of GDP, i.e. a small increase over 1997 when
their share was 35 per cent.  More than half of the sector product comes from transport and
communications services and trade-related services, which together account for 7.5 per cent of GDP,as well as from informal sector activities.  Government services account for 16.6 per cent of GDP.
Tourism and financial services are very underdeveloped.
77. Burundi's commitment's under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) concern
business services, construction and related engineering services, distribution services, health-related
services and social services.
19  For these services, Burundi has bound, without limitations on market
access and national treatment, all the measures affecting their cross-border supply, their consumption
abroad and commercial presence with a view to supplying those services.  With the exception of
medical specialists, managers and specialized se nior management (through horizontal concessions),
measures affecting the presence of natural persons have not been bound.
(i) Financial services
78. Banking services were long dominated by two banks, the Credit Bank of Bujumbura (BCB),
and the Commercial Bank of Bur undi (BANCOBU).  The liberalization of these services since the
1990s has led to an increase in the number of banks and other financial institutions.  Three banks –
Interbank Burundi, the Management and Finance Ba nk, and the Trade and Development Bank – are
entirely privately owned, together with one finance company, Ngozi Development Company(COFIDE). State participation in this sector is still important.  The State holds 100 per cent of the
capital in the People's Bank of Bujumbura and is a majority shareholder in six other institutions:
Commercial Bank of Bur undi, Credit Bank of Bujumbura, Burundian Trade and Investment Bank,
National Economic Development Bank, Burundian Financing Company, and the Financing and
Leasing Company.  Some semi-public enterpri ses, in particular COGERCO, hold shares in
commercial banks.  The extent of State participation in the financial sub-sector does not reflect any
                                                     
19 WTO document GATS /SC/116 of 15 April 1994.Burundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 77
clear economic logic, considering the extensive overlap between the activities and practices of the
various institutions.  The total indebtedness of the financial institutions in whose capital the State
participates was FBu 25 billion in 2001.  Most institutions recorded a profit in 2001.
79. Under the Law of 7 July 1993 concerning the statutes of the Bank of the Republic of Burundi
(BRB), supervision of the banks and other financia l institutions is the responsibility of the BRB,
which wants to strengthen its capabilities, in particular where inspection is concerned.  The BankingLaw of 7 July 1993 regulates the activities of the banks and other financial institutions, which must all
be approved by the BRB.  The minimum capital required is FBu 300 million for banks and FBu
200 million for other financial institutions.  Other approval criteria are:  the good reputation and
banking sector experience of the future managers;  incorporation as a private limited company;
registration of the shares;  everyday management of the activities by at least two persons;  and theobligation to produce a profitability analysis.  The BRB does not impose additional  conditions on the
establishment of foreign banks;  however, the agreement of the country of origin is required.  The
prior authorization of the BRB is required by anyone, of  Burundian nationality, wishing to set up a
bank abroad.
80. The BRB relies on the international standards of the Basel Committee for determining the
prudential rules for commercial banks.  The rules of prudential management in force require the
equity capital to be greater than or equal to the mi nimum capital;  the solvency ratio to be greater than
or equal to 10 per cent;  a ratio of stable resources to fixed uses greater than or equal to 60 per cent,
and a liquidity ratio greater than or equal to 100 per cent.  Without the au thorization of the BRB, no
bank or other financial institution may grant the same natural or legal person a loan or enter into any
commitment in his favour for an amount greater than  20 per cent of the equity capital.  Access to
foreign credit is subject to the approval of the BRB which, in taking its decision, will take intoaccount the nature of the loan, the sector concerned, and the viability of the project to be financed.
The BRB does not impose any special conditions on foreigners wishing to obtain access to credit
through Burundian institutions.
81. The BRB has fixed the minimum reserve requirement at 7.5 per cent.  It also operates a
refinancing system enabling the commercial banks to access its resources, up to a certain ceiling(determined at the BRB’s discretion and depending on the commercial bank concerned), provided
they deposit assets to cover that ceiling.  The BRB applies a preferential refinancing rate to banks
involved in financing the coffee sub-sector and at the same time fixes the maximum margin that these
banks can obtain relative to the preferential refinancing rate.
82. Although recourse to indirect monetary policy instruments has been developed, in particular
through the establishment of a market in treasury bills in 1998, which allows interest rates to be
dictated by the market, the banking sector is still underdeveloped.  Banks have a tendency to offer the
same products and apply the same interest rates.  The 8 to 10 percentage point difference between
borrowing and lending rates suggests high transaction costs.  In general, the banks direct their lending
activities towards short-term projects, short-term loans accounting for between 72 and 76 per cent ofthe total between 1998 and 2002.
20  Short-term credit consists of cash loans to provide working capital
for businesses and finance household consumption (almost 90 per cent), loans for importers, and
export loans, mainly for coffee.  The interest ra tes on short-term loans granted to exporters are
appreciably lower than those on import loans (Table IV.12);  in part, this reflects the upper limit
imposed by the BRB on interest rates on coffee sub-sector loans.  However, the guarantees provided
by the State for these loans and the preferential refinancing rate applied by the BRB act as incentives.
Medium-term credit amounts to between 9 and 11 per cent of total credit and long-term credit to
                                                     
20 Bank of the Republic of Burundi (2002).WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
Page 78
between 4 and 7 per cent.  Loans for financing capital equipment, a form of medium and long-term
production investment financing, make up around 8 to 12 per cent of global credit.  This marked
preference for providing short-term credit is a reflection not only of the social, political and economic
instability but also of the weakness of the judicial system.  Lawsuits may last up to 10 years.21  The
banks form consortia to finance the activities of the coffee sector.
Table IV.12
Weighted average borrowing and lending rates, 1998-July 2002
Weighted average borrowing rates
Short term Medium term Long term
Exports Imports Average Average AverageGeneral average
1998 12.8 16.1 17.6 17.6 15.4 17.6
1999 12.5 18.2 20 18 15.9 17.7
2000 12.2 21.4 22 20 16.5 20.4
2001 13 21.1 22.7 20.4 17.1 20.9
July 2002 10 21.9 20.2 19.7 19.7 20.1
Weighted average lending rates
Time deposits Certificates of depositDemand
depositsPass-book
accounts1 month
max1 year
max2 years
maxOver
2 years1 month
max1 year
maxAverageGeneral
average
1998 6 8 9.6 9.6 8.5 8.5 - 11.3 11.3 9.1
1999 4.3 8 10.9 10.6 9.4 - - 11.8 11.8 9.4
2000 6.4 7.7 13.1 12.1 11 10 13.8 13.3 13.5 11.3
2001 9.3 8.2 13.4 13.2 11.6 12.3 13.8 14 13.8 12.1
July 2002 10 8,3 13,6 13,6 13,7 11,5 14,1 14 14,2 12,5
Source: Information supplied by the Burundian authorities.
83. Insurance activities are governed by the Insurance Law adopted in August 2002.  Insurance
services are regulated by a specialized body, the Insurance Regulation and Control Agency, under the
Ministry of Finance.  In consultation with the regulatory agency, the Ministry approves companies
wishing to enter the insurance market.  Five insurance companies operate on the Burundian market, of
which three are private and two mixed.  The two mixed companies are the Burundi Insurance
Company (SOCABU), which is 45 per cent-owned by the State, and the Commercial Insurance and
Reinsurance Union, which is 12 per cent State-owned.  These companies offer a traditional range of
insurance products.
84. The aim of the 2002 Law was to initiate the liberalization of insurance services.  Any
application for a licence must be accompanied by the following:  (i) the memorandum of association
of the company;  (ii) the full names, addresses and domicile of the company's direct and indirectshareholders and directors and the curriculum vitae of the latter;  (iii) a list of the activities or groups
of activities in which the company proposes to engage;  (iv) its business plan, including technical and
financial aspects, the general terms and conditions of its policies, the technical basis for calculating
premiums and provisions against risks, the tariffs which the company intends to apply in each of the
branches of activity for which approval is request ed, the guiding principles selected for reinsurance,
estimated administrative and formation costs and the resources available for meeting those costs;  (v)
evidence of the deposit (in a blocked account with a bank approved in Burundi) of a sum equal to
20 per cent of the share capital, representing the minimum guarantee fund;  and (vi) evidence that the
minimum capital of FBu 300 million has been fully subscribed.  The Law specifies that the maximum
percentage of the share capital or voting rights that can be held by one natural or legal person is 33 per
cent.
                                                     
21 Nkurunziza, J. and F. Ngaruko (2002).Burundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 79
85. In Burundi, insurance business may be conducted only by legal persons incorporated in
Burundi in the form of a private limited or semi-public company.  A distinction is made between life
insurance activities (where the risk is linked with the length of a human life) and non-life activities
relating to other events affecting the individual or involving his liability with respect to third parties or
property.  Companies are required to keep separate accounts showing the results for each group of
activities ("life" and "non-life") and each of its branches.  There are no special conditions imposed onforeigners wishing to access Burundian insurance services.  Access for Burundians to foreign
insurance services is subject to the approval of the regulatory authority.
(ii) Telecommunications
86. In 2000, Burundi had almost 19,000 fixed telephone lines corresponding to a tele-density
(number of main lines per hundred inhabitants) of 0.29, one of the lowest in the world.  Access to thetelephone is concentrated in Bujumbura, which accounts for almost 84 per cent of telephone lines.
The lines are operated by the only national operator, the National Telecommunications Office,
(ONATEL), which is a public enterprise.  The obsolescence of the equipment and the use of analogue
technology makes communication inside Burundi difficul t.  There is little investment in the sector,
largely because of political instability and the precarious state of the country's economy(Table IV.13).  With the liberalization of the sect or, begun in 1997, private operators have entered the
mobile telephony market, which now has three operators, the most important being Telecel.  The
increase in the number of mobile telephone subscribers has raised total (fixed and cellular) tele-
density to 0.54.
Table IV.13
Telecommunications:  basic indicators, 1993-2000
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Fixed lines 15,550 15,788 17,255 15,181 15,867 17,849 18,993 19,000
Tele-density 0.27 0.27 0.29 0.25 0.26 0.28 0.29 0.29
Percentage of lines connected to digital exchanges .. .. .. 78.7 88.8 89.6 91.9 ..
Waiting list .. .. .. 4,207 5,089 10,000 .. ..
Public telephones 108 94 100 107 126 78 .. ..
Cellular subscribers 320 343 500 561 619 620 800 16,320
Cellular density 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.24
International traffic, outgoing (1000 minutes) 1,817 2,281 2,804 2,565 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000
International traffic, incoming (1000 minutes) 2,827 3,777 2,885 3,121 3,000 4,000 3,000 ..
Number of employees 604 634 607 574 617 620 581 ..
Revenue (US$ millions) 13 16 21 16 16 11 9 ..
Revenue (percentage of GDP) 1.4 1.6 1.8 1.4 1.3 1.0 0.9 ..
Annual investment (US$ millions) .. 7 2 3 1 2 .. ..
Investment (percentage of gross fixed capital
formation).. .. .. 3.1 0.9 4.4 .. ..
Number of Internet users .. .. .. 50 500 1,000 2,500 3,000
.. Not available.
Source: ITU, African Telecommunication Indicators, 2001.
87. Telecommunications services are governed by the Decree-Law of 4 September 1997, which
opened up the sub-sector to private investment.  Under the new law, the State may grant to third
parties, under concession or licence, all or part of the establishment, operation or management of
telecommunications networks and installations.  By virtue of this law, ONATEL is required to accept
the participation of private shareholders.  The Government is seeking a strategic partner to whom to
transfer 51 per cent of the operator's capital, it being the intention of the State to retain 35 per cent and
sell the remaining 14 per cent to other private in vestors.  To prepare ONATEL for privatization, itsWT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
Page 80
management is being reformed and an audit has been carried out.  The search for a private partner is
aimed at raising the funds needed to achieve the objectives laid down by the sectoral plan for the
period 2002-04, in particular the renewal of equipment, improved services for rural areas, improved
international communications, and the adoption of the latest technology.  The total cost of the sectoral
project has been estimated at US$ 27.6 million, whence the need to find private funds.  For the time
being, ONATEL intends to continue financing the three-year programme from its own resources, nopartner having yet been found as this review was being prepared.  Although the 1997 law opened up
fixed telephony to competition, ONATEL still holds a de facto  monopoly.  Although no limit has
been placed on the number of providers of telephone services, the Government is not planning to
grant a second fixed licence in the near future;  it is of the opinion that a fourth mobile operator would
have difficulty meeting its costs.  Investment in the infrastructure and the provision of universalservices feature among the Government's priorities in the telecommunications sector.  Investment in
telecommunications services is eligible for the benefits provided in the Investment Code.
88. The Decree-Law of 4 September 1997 also established the principle of separation of the
operating and regulatory functions.  The Decree-Law of 30 September 1997 established the
Telecommunications Regulation and Control Agency (ARCT).  The Agency's main functions are:  toprovide for the surveillance of telecommunications services;  to participate in the negotiation of
international treaties, conventions and regulations relating to telecommunications and in regional and
international telecommunications conferences;  to enfo rce tariff policy;  to define the rules for the use
of circuits and networks leased to private users;  to allocate frequencies and manage the frequency
spectrum;  to issue permits to operate links, independent private networks and value added services
provided by public and private operators;  to give the Government technical advice on commercial
service operating permits;  to grant approved private entrepreneurs subscriber installation and networkand equipment construction permits;  to support subscriber terminal equipment and authorize its sale
and connection to the public network;  to determine with the operators, on behalf of the Government,
the conditions on which operating concessions are granted and the fees for operating licences;  to pay
contributions to the regional and international telecommunications bodies;  to ensure that public
network interconnection agreements are non-discriminatory, fair and reasonable and provide themaximum benefits for all users;  to ensure that  interconnection agreements comply with technical
standards, quality requirements, and the conditions of security and confidentiality of the conversations
or data transmitted;  to establish procedures for settling disputes between service providers and users
and to intervene in court cases;  and to limit, where necessary, the number of private radio stations or
prohibit them from operating in the neighbourhood of government or concession radio installations(such decisions must be reasoned).
89. The Agency has limited autonomy, since it operates under the authority of the Ministry of
Transport, Post and Telecommunications.  Its board includes a representative of the Ministry with
responsibility for national defence;  a representative of the Ministry with responsibility for
telecommunications;  a representative of the Ministry with responsibility for finance;  a representativeof the Ministry with responsibility for communications;  a representative of the telecommunications
sector operators;  a person chosen for his specialized knowledge;  and the Agency’s Director-General.
The Agency’s resources consist, in particular, of State appropriations, operating charges, and fees
collected for issuing various licences.
90. Licences are granted by the Ministry responsible for telecommunications, on the
recommendation of the ARCT.  The price of a licence is US$200,000 for the basic telephone and
mobile cellular networks and US$100,000 for the fixe d cellular network.  Operators must also pay a
US$1,000 administrative tax, a US$500 equipment approval tax and an annual fee of 0.5 per cent of
turnover.  The tariffs of the fixed operator, ONAT EL, vary from FBu 6 to 85 per minute for national
calls, depending on the type of call (local, regional or long-distance).  The tariffs applied toBurundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 81
international calls vary between FBu 312 and FBu 4 16 for Rwanda, United Republic of Tanzania and
Uganda;
91.  FBu 624 and FBu 1,400 per minute for Europe, according to the country;  FBu 312 and
FBu 1,800 per minute for Africa;  FBu 780 and FBu 1,800 per minute for America;  FBu 624 to
FBu 1,800 per minute for Asia;  and FBu 780 and FBu 1,440 per minute for Oceania.  Discounts of 15
to 25 per cent are granted on calls made during off-peak hours, at night, at weekends and on holidays.The tariffs applied by the main provider of mobile telephone services, Telecel, are set out in
Table IV.14.
Table IV.14
Tariffs applied by the mobile operator Telecel
(FBu per minute)
Communication Normal hours Off-peak hours
Telecel-Telecel 216 184
Telecel-Africel-Spacetel-Onatel 270 230
Telecel-MTN Rwandacell 360 300
Telecel-Africa 1250 680
Telecel-Western Europe 1250 1060
Telecel-Eastern Europe 1600 1360
Telecel-USA and Canada 1250 1060
Telecel-America 1500 1270
Telecel-Asia (Middle East) 1600 1360
Telecel-Asia (rest) 2500 2120
Telecel-Australia and Oceania 3000 2550
Source: Information supplied by the Burundian authorities.
92. The interconnection agreement between Telecel and ONATEL was signed in November 2001
after several months of negotiations.  A supplementary agreement was signed in May 2002.  The
interconnection agreement had been held up because the two companies could not agree on the
method of accounting, ONATEL preferring interco nnection without exchange of accounts, whereas
Telecel took the opposite view.  After ARCT had considered the question, the Ministry of Defenceand the Ministry of Transport, Post and Telecommunications recommended that:   interconnection be
maintained;  all the telecommunications sub-sector operators be invited to participate in the
negotiation of an interconnection agreement;  the exchange of accounts with retroactive effect
between operators be adopted;  and ONATEL make available, as quickly as possible, the means of
quantifying the traffic from other operators.  Telecel and ONATEL finally agreed to use accountingwith exchange of accounts and a turnaround rate of  FBu 21.  However, the procedure for quantifying
the traffic exchanged remained to be determined.  A global interconnection agreement had not been
signed at the time this review was being prepared, as the other two mobile operators could not accept
the amount of the transit tax (FBu 80) – transit is provided by ONATEL – agreed to by Telecel.  The
cellular operators may individually enter into interconnection agreements with foreign operators.
93. Burundi currently has two ISP (Internet Service Providers), USAN and CBInet (both private
companies), which share the approximately 3000 internet subscribers.  A licence costs US$ 40,000.
The administrative and equipment approval costs and the annual fee are the same as for telephone
operators.  A national commission responsible for new information and communications technologies
has been set up, and a national strategy is in preparation.  The tariffs are set out in Table IV.15.WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
Page 82
Table IV.15
Tariffs applied by USAN and CBINET
Reference Consumption Price per month (FBu)
USAN
Plan A Unlimited 1 month 120,000
Plan B 20 hours 75,000
Plan C 10 hours 40,000
Plan D Unlimited 3 months 345,000
Plan E Unlimited 6 months 650,000
Plan F Unlimited 1,250,000
CBINET
Plan A Unlimited 120
Plan B Limited 60 hours 100
Plan C 40 hours 80
Plan D Limited (from 21 h to 6 h) 60
Plan E Limited 20 hours 50
Source: Information supplied by the Burundian authorities.
94. The postal system in Burundi is run by the National Postal Authority (RNP) established in
1991.  The supervisory ministry is the Ministry of  Transport, Post and Telecommunications.  The
RNP manages a functional network of 7 post offices in the Commune of Bujumbura and 21 others
scattered over the interior of the country.  The RNP also manages current accounts, almost 43,000 atthe end of 2002, totalling nearly FBu 2 billion.  Not being a bank, the RNP does not make loans.  It
recorded profits of around FBu 73.5 million in 2000 and 120 million in 2001.
95. Under a 1962 Law on the administration of the postal services, the RNP has a monopoly on
the distribution of letters and other missives, sealed or open, postcards, and advertisements, circulars
and prospectuses when they bear the address of the intended recipient.  However, the Government hasopened up certain segments of the market – in particular the express collection and distribution of
letters and small packages by international mail – to private operators, including foreign operators,
which must sign an agreement with the RNP laying down the conditions under which they are
approved to carry on their activities in Burundi.
(iii) Transport
96. As a landlocked country, Burundi depends on its neighbours for access to seaports.  The main
route for exports is that linking Bujumbura with Dar-Es-Salaam, via Kigoma, which combines lake
and rail transport.  An alternative route, entirely by road, is Muyinga-Kobero-Dodoma-Dar es Salaam.
The Bujumbura-Dar-Es-Salaam axis, generally known as the central corridor, is the route used for 75
to 80 per cent of Burundian trade.  Another possibility is the Bujumbura-Kigali-Kampala-Nairobi-Mombasa route, generally  known as the northern corridor, which is also entirely by road.
97. The distances to be covered and the transport conditions function as an export tax by
increasing the transport costs for exports, as well as the cost of imported inputs.  The World Bank
estimates this additional cost as between 30 and 40 per cent of normal export costs.
22  It can be traced
to many sources:  the dilapidation of the rail and port infrastructure at both Kigoma and Mombasa, theslowness of customs procedures, security on the roads (for example, inside Kenyan territory police
escorts slow down the traffic), and the state of th e roads.  According to the Government, Burundi's
                                                     
22 World Bank (1996b).  Transport costs already constitute a natural protection whose level depends on
the amount of those costs.Burundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 83
interests diverge from those of the transit countries in matters relating to trade facilitation, certain
difficulties being directly linked to the tax system in those countries.
98. The Minister of Transport, Post and telecommunications is responsible for framing transport
sector policy.  The long-term objective is to eliminate the country's internal and external isolation.
The measures contemplated will affect road, lake and air transport and concern both the infrastructure
and the regulatory framework (sections (a), (b) and (c)).
(a) Road transport
99. Road transport is the mode of transport most frequently used.  The national road network
consists of a network of roads managed by the St ate (1,100 km of paved roads) and 4,500 km of dirt
roads.  Road transport policy is formulated  by the Ministry of Transport, Post and
Telecommunications.  The department responsible for carrying out the works is the Directorate-
General of Roads, which forms part of the Ministry of Public Works.  Burundi has not set up an
autonomous department for managing the roads.  An independent entity, the Burundian Agency for
Public Interest Works – (AGETIP) was created in 2000 to implement various donor-supported
projects, including projects in the road sector, by concluding construction contracts.
100. The maintenance of the existing road networ k calls for considerable investment.  The
planning, supervision and coordination of road network construction and maintenance activities is the
responsibility of the Highway Board, under the authority of the Ministry of Public Works and
Infrastructure.  The Government has also set up a National Road Fund whose aim is to mobilize
financial resources for the maintenance of the ro ad network, on the basis of the annual programme
prepared by the Highway Board and the annual programmes prepared by the local authorities
responsible for managing the road infrastructure.  The Fund is administered by a board consisting of
representatives of the State (Ministries of Public Works, Finance, and Trade and Industry), arepresentative of the Association of Importers of Petroleum Products, a representative of the Chamber
of Commerce, a representative of the Employers' Association of Burundi, a representative of the
Freight Hauliers' Association, and a representative of the Passenger Carriers' Association.  The Fund's
resources come from a tax of FBu 20 per litre on fuel, road tolls, an axle charge, motor vehicle tax,
driving licence fees, the fines for overloading transport vehicles, and any compensation paid fordamage to the roads.  The budgeted expenditure from this Fund for 2002 was FBu 900 million, 47 per
cent of which was allocated to road maintenance a nd the rest to financing the Directorate-General of
Roads.  The International Development Association and the Government have concluded an
agreement on a US$ 40 million loan for public works and job creation;  21 per cent of this loan will be
allocated to the transport and roads sub-sector.
101. The improvement of road safety is an important aspect of the sectoral strategy.  It involves, in
particular, introducing a new road safety code and developing vehicle controls, in particular, as
regards compliance with weight limits.  Political instability is also making passenger and freight
transport more dangerous.
102. Passenger transport is provided by private minibus operators or by the Public Transport Board
(OTRACO), a public enterprise.  Inter-city transport has been liberalized and is dominated by private
operators.  Nevertheless, as part of its strategy, the Government is planning to increase the subsidy
granted to OTRACO in order to improve rural serv ices.  OTRACO fixes the fares for transport inside
Bujumbura and the private operators in the capital align their fares on those charged by OTRACO.
The precarious security situation is discouraging private operators, whose market is being eroded by
the reluctance of the public to travel and high costs due to poor road conditions and the high price of
fuel.  Where freight transport is concerned, the State is planning to encourage the increasedWT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
Page 84
participation of the private sector.  There are no freight transport subsidies.  Foreign carriers from
neighbouring countries may operate in Burundi if their country has concluded a reciprocal bilateral
agreement with Burundi.  As a result of the reduction in the number of lorries operating in Burundi
due to the crisis, road transport is dominated by foreign operators which offer lower tariffs.
Nevertheless, cabotage and transport inside the country by third-country enterprises are prohibited,
which increases the cost of freight transport.
(b) Lake transport
103. Lake transport on Lake Tanganyika is mainly provided by private companies, the largest of
which is North Lake Shipping (ARNOLAC).  Th is company, formerly a public enterprise, was
privatized in 1991.  Operators from lakeside countries and Rwanda are permitted to engage in
cabotage.  Lake transport freight tariffs are fixed by decree of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.The tariff schedule also covers administrative costs and other expenses (in particular, cleaning)
associated with the transport of goods.  The tariff s charged vary according to the chosen route and the
nature of the goods.  Thus, on both the Bujumbura-Kigoma and Bujumbura-Mpulungu lines, the tariff
for coffee is lower than that for other goods (Table IV.16).  With the deterioration of the security
situation, the volume of traffic on the lake has fallen.  Burundi's merchant fleet is generallydilapidated, consisting mainly of barges inherited from the former colonial company Compagnie
fluviale des grands lacs .  Nevertheless, it is the largest of those operating on Lake Tanganyika.
23  The
Bujumbura-Kigoma and Bujumbura-Mpulungu routes provide access to the central corridor leading to
Dar-Es-Salaam and the southern corridor leading to Southern Africa, respectively.
Table IV.16
Tariffs for lake transport, December 2002
(FBu per tonne)
Kigoma-Bujumburab
and vice-versaMpulungu-Bujumbura
and vice-versa
Coffee 5,280 15,840
Tobacco 6,600 19,800
Tea 6,600 19,800
Cinchona 6,600 19,800
Cement see under "other goods" 17,160
Bitumen see under "other goods" 22,000
Other goods 7,290 19,800
Motor vehicles
  car  light van
  lorry100,000
132,000
198,000200,000
264,000
396,000
Cleaning 1,200 to 2,000 1,200 to 2,000
a A uniform tariff of 10,560 is applied to goods transported on the Kabimba-Bujumbura line.b Kigoma-Bujumbura line:   transport by container is invoiced at FBu 300,000 per 20-foot container, a tariff of FBu 120,000 bein g
applied on the return of the container imported empty.
Source: Ministry of Trade and Industry.
104. As lake transport is the cheapest way of transporting goods, the Government has made it a
priority to improve the standard of the services offered by the port of Bujumbura, which is managed
by the company holding the concession to operate the port, (EPB).  The tariffs charged by the EPB arefixed by a consultative body that includes two users of the Bujumbura Port Authority services
designated by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, two delegates representing the Ministries with
                                                     
23 Government of Burundi (2001b).Burundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 85
responsibility for transport and trade, respectively, and two representatives of the EPB.  The tariff
structure is fairly complex;  it sometimes differ entiates between imports and exports, subjecting the
former to a higher tariff.  The tariff structure al so sometimes distinguishes between imports according
to their end use, which may increase the complexity of port transactions for goods that are similar but
have different uses.
105. Five broad classes of tariffs are applicable to the transport of goods by lake (Table IV.17):
− a handling charge (loading and unloading of barges and lorries), which may vary
depending on the goods, their packaging (sacks or containers), and the method ofloading or unloading.  The handling charges applied to imports in sacks or strong
packaging (other than a container) are higher than those applied to exports of similar
products;
− a storage charge, which increases progressively with the duration of storage, the first
seven days of storage being free for goods in sacks and containers of importedproducts, while export containers and goods in transit qualify for free storage for 10
and 14 days, respectively;
− port dues, which include a berthing tax that varies depending on the length of the
vessel, a towing tax and a vehicle fee;
− various charges which cover the weighing of lorries, the hiring of machinery (cranes
and forklift trucks), services provided outside normal statutory working hours, and
miscellaneous services, including documentation charges;  and
− penalties for various offences, in particular, the unauthorized occupation of land and
unloading in a prohibited area.  The port's annual capacity is 500,000 tonnes, which is
more than twice the average annual traffic between 1991 and 2001.  The
improvement projects planned include equipping the port with beacons, improving
the handling facilities and building a ship repair yard.
Table IV.17
Operating tariffs in the Port of Bujumbura, December 2002
Handling charges for loading and unloading barges and lorries, FBu per tonne
Barges Lorries
Import 1285 930
Coffee exports 640 530
Cotton exports 565 725
Tea and cinchona exports 375 320Merchandise in sacks/bales
Other exports 1155 640
Imports, products destined for the food sector 1785 1390
Imports, products destined for the construction sector 1580 1225
Imports, producer goods 2450-3000 1885-2290
Imports, merchandise in barrels 1945 1095
Imports, capital goods 3830 2920
Imports, consumer durables 3700 2815
Food products 2755 2105
Nondurable consumer goods 2755 2105
Exports 1235 725Other strong packaging
(except for containers)
Table IV.17 (cont'd)WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
Page 86
Containers:   handling charges invoiced per container and per operation performed (in principle, seven operations are required
per container)
Container handling equipment
Crane Forklift truck
less than 5 tonnes 3800 2040
from 5 to 9,999 tonnes 12725 6365
from 10 to 14,999 tonnes 17815 8905
from 15 to 19,999 tonnes 22900 11455
20 tonnes and over 40716 20360
Note: Surcharges may be applied to loads with a tonnage of less than four tonnes.
Hydrocarbon tariff – FBu 1 per litre
Source: Information supplied by the Burundian authorities.
(c) Air transport
106. The regulation of air transport is the responsibility of the Ministry of Transport, Post and
Telecommunications.  The national carrier is Air Burundi, which has almost ceased operating,
maintaining only irregular links inside the country and with Rwanda.  The company has two aircraftwith a maximum capacity of 40 passengers and belongs to the State.  There are no plans for its
privatization.
107. The main airport is at Bujumbura.  It is managed by the Burundi Airport Management
Company (SOBUGEA).  Formerly, the Belgian airline Sabena held 5 per cent of SOBUGEA's capital,
but since Sabena ceased operating, SOBUGEA has be longed entirely to the Burundian Government.
SOBUGEA fixes the landing fees and the freight stor age and loading charges.  Five broad categories
of taxes and charges are applied (Table IV.18):  (i) a landing fee, which increases with the weight ofthe aircraft;  (ii) an overflight fee, which increases with the weight of the aircraft;  (iii) a parking tax
of US$ 0.1 multiplied by the number of hours of parking and the weight;  (iv) a passenger tax of US$
25 per person;  and (v) a lighting charge of US$ 200 per landing or take-off.
108. Burundi has signed bilateral agreements with 18 countries;
24 these agreements define the
frequency of the services and the number of passengers.  Among these agreements, 11 are being orhave been implemented since being signed.  The companies operating international links with
Burundi are Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and the company TMK (Democratic Republic of the
Congo).  No agreement gives carriers fifth freedom nights.  All the international flights operated by
the airlines use Bujumbura airport.
Table IV. 18
Charges and taxes applied by SOBUGEA, December 2002
Weight Taxa
Landing fee (US$)
0 to 1  tonne 20
1 to 5.9 tonnes 20 + [P-1] x 3
6 to 19.9 tonnes 40 + [P-6] x 3.6
20 to 49.9 tonnes 120 + [P-20] x 5
50 tonnes or over 280 + [P-50] x 5.6
Table IV.18 (cont'd)
                                                     
24 Belgium, Cameroon,  Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Gabon,
Kenya, Republic of the Congo, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, South Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania, Uganda, andZambia.Burundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 87
Overflight fee (US$)
0 to 6.9 tonnes 6P
7 to 50.9 tonnes 36+2P x 0.8
51 to 100 tonnes 36 +2P
Over 100 tonnes 36+2P x 1.2
a P:  maximum weight of aircraft (in tonnes) indicated on the airworthiness certificate.
Source: Information provided by the Burundian authorities.
(iv) Tourism
109. The main tourist attractions in Burundi are its cultural heritage, its national parks and its
nature reserves.  The principal parks and reserves are:  the national parks of the Ruvubu and the
Kibira;  and the nature reserves of the Rusizi, Lake Rwihinda, the Forest of Kigwena, Nyakazu and
Karera.  Most parks are accessible by road.  Lake Tanganyika, the northern lakes (Cohoha, Kanzigiri,
Rwihinda, Rweru, etc.), the hot springs and the observation points in the mountainous regions are
other natural attractions.  The historical attractions consist of the historical monuments and sites,
while the cultural attractions include traditional dances and the museums of Gitega and Bujumbura.
110. Bujumbura's hotels have a capacity of 1,067 beds.  The State intervened in this sub-sector by
participating in the capital of the Novotel and Source du Nil hotels and the Lake Tanganyika Club.
The Club has been privatized, while the Source du Nil is in the process of privatization.  TheGovernment has signed an agreement with the hotel chain Accor for the management of Novotel.
Outside Bujumbura, there are hotels at Kayanza, Ngozi, Gitega, Muyinga, Cankuzo and Kirundo.
The national park of Ruvubu has its own eco-tourism camp.  Foreign nationals must pay their hotel
bills either in foreign currency or in Burundi francs purchased through official channels (a certificate
must be provided by the bureau de change).  Prices can be set freely.  The Government is not
systematically evaluating the performance of the hotels and has not yet developed a hotel
classification system.
111. As a result of the outbreak of the crisis in 1993, the imposition of an economic embargo
between 1996 and 1999 and the problems of insecurity, the number of tourist arrivals fell sharply,
declining from 110,000-125,000 in 1990 and 1991 to 11,000 in 1997 and then recovering to 78,000 in
2001.  The number of overnight stays in the principal hotels rose from 47,000 in 1997 to 88,000 in
2001.  Almost 47 per cent of tourists in Burundi co me from African countries and 40 per cent from
Europe.
25
112. Because of its socio-political instability, Bur undi has not been able to develop a flourishing
tourist industry.  The country is also handicapped by the limited number of air links with the main
tourism markets and the problems with its communications infrastructure.  At present, there are no
data available on the contribution of tourism to GDP  nor on its contribution to employment.  Tourism
is the responsibility of the Ministry of Land Use Planning, Environment and Tourism.  Unlike some
other countries in the region, Burundi does not have an explicit medium-term strategy for the
development of the tourism sub-sector.  There are no specific criteria for the practice of certain
tourism-related activities (guides, tour operators, restaurateurs);  the provisions of the Commercial
Code apply.  Apart from its participation in various hotel companies, the Government intervenes inthe sub-sector by providing tax incentives, granted under the Investment Code (with priority for
tourism enterprises) or under the Free Zone, enterprises which provide tour operator services being
eligible for free enterprise status.  The Government has decided progressively to privatize certain
                                                     
25 The figures indicate only the number of entries on a tourist visa.WT/TPR/S/113 Trade Policy Review
Page 88
public enterprises involved in tourism, in particul ar, the hotel Source du Nil in Bujumbura, for which
an invitation to tender was issued in 2000;  however, the privatization of this hotel has not yet been
completed.Burundi WT/TPR/S/113
Page 89
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