DRC’s President Tshisekedi in Burundi for 3-day visit

The President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Felix Antoine Tshisekedi, arrived at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport in Bujumbura on Saturday evening for a three-day state visit to Burundi.

He was received by Burundi’s Foreign Minister Albert Shingiro before becoming President Evariste Ndayishimiye at the State House Bujumbura.

President Tshisekedi was honored at the State House (Ntare House) of Burundi with a 21-gun salute and tree planting to mark his visit.

After a closed meeting, the leader of the DRC said that the two countries are trying to strengthen bilateral ties and economic cooperation on agriculture, defense and security, and railway projects.

This is the first visit for Mr Tshisekedi to Burundi since his country’s admission to the East African Community (EAC) in March this year. He last visited Burundi in June 2019.

The DRC has mobilized the support of EAC countries to contain rebel activity on its eastern border, which borders four member states, including Burundi.

Last July Presidents Ndayishimiye and Tshisekedi signed several agreements in Kinshasa during the former’s visit to the country. These included developing collaboration; maintaining and strengthening peace, defense and security; trade facilitation; and political and diplomatic consultations.

Read:DRC and Burundi sign cooperation agreements

“We are examining areas of mutual interest, including the railway project, that will connect Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” President Tshisekedi said at a news conference in Bujumbura on Saturday.

The railway project aims to connect Tanzania via the central corridor Uvinza with Musongati, Gitega and Bujumbura in Burundi and Uvira connect and Kindu in eastern DRC.

During his stay in Burundi, Mr. Tshisekedi will visit two agricultural organizations including the main fertilizer producer Fomi. He will also place a fortune on the tomb of former President Pierre Nkurunziza.