Press release of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Geneva, 18 December 1998
N° 70

The Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Mr. Anders B. Johnsson, today signed a funding agreement with the European Commission represented by Mr. Jacob Houtman. Under this funding agreement, the Commission will make available a total of ECU834 079 (about US$990 000) towards the implementation of a project of assistance to the National Assembly of Burundi.

The project is intended to extend emergency assistance to the National Assembly in order to enable it to play fully its role as a prime mover of the ongoing peace process in Burundi. The project will also enhance the capacity of the Assembly to perform its traditional law-making and oversight functions.

Apart from covering some of the costs for the participation of Burundi MPs in the peace talks currently underway in Arusha, other activities foreseen include:

• the provision of consultants to assist the National Assembly in its work;
• the organisation of training and sensitisation programmes (workshops, seminars and study tours) for MPs and parliamentary staff;
• the repair of the National Assembly building and the provision of basic office equipment (computers, photocopying machines, sound equipment, equipment and books for the library etc.);
• the acquisition of vehicles to facilitate travel for MPs to their constituencies to explain the peace process and the need for reconciliation.

An IPU mission is expected in Bujumbura in early February 1999 to discuss with senior members of the leadership of the National Assembly, practical details for the implementation of the project.

The present agreement on Burundi is the latest in a series of co-operative ventures between the European Commission and the IPU aimed at strengthening legislative institutions as part of efforts to promote democracy, good governance and the rule of law. Other joint projects include a project to develop the computer and documentation services of the Parliament of Ethiopia and a project of general assistance to the National Assembly of Burkina Faso.