Council conclusions on the pre-electoral political situation in Burundi

1.  The European Union (EU) welcomes the progress made in Burundi since the signature of the Arusha Peace Agreements. These accords have allowed Burundi to set out on the path of development, stability and democracy, and to participate in peacekeeping missions on the African continent. The EU has played an active role in supporting this process. It intends to continue to do so by working closely with its partners, particularly the AU, the ICGLR, and the United Nations, whose electoral observation mission (MENUB) must be able to play its full role.

2.  The upcoming electoral cycle in Burundi, which will run from May to August 2015, is key to consolidating the progress made and helping build a stronger future. The country cannot afford to miss this opportunity and run the risk of undoing its progress. By adopting the electoral code, the roadmap towards the 2015 elections and the code of conduct, Burundi's political parties and actors have together mapped out the way forward. They must now comply with those provisions in full. The EU commends the efforts of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) and encourages it to perform its role with complete impartiality and independence. It calls on CENI and the relevant Burundian institutions to ensure that the corrective measures regarding voter registration agreed at the review meeting on 22 December 2014 are implemented, and to re-engage in a dialogue with political parties and actors throughout the electoral process.

3. In light of the tensions and intimidation which have marked the pre-electoral period, the EU calls on the authorities to step up their efforts to ensure that the process is inclusive, peaceful and transparent. Both the opposition and the majority parties have a responsibility in this respect, but it is up to the authorities to guarantee the exercise of civil and political rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, freedom of the press and judicial independence, in accordance with Burundi's laws and international commitments. In this respect, the EU expresses its concern over the numerous legal proceedings initiated against the leaders of opposition parties and civil society representatives involved in defending human rights. These arrests and convictions risk discrediting the entire electoral process and the justice system.

4.  The EU attaches great importance to safeguarding the achievements of the Arusha Agreement, which is the foundation on which peace and democracy are being established in Burundi following the period of civil war. There are currently calls in Burundi for the Arusha Agreement to be honoured, particularly as regards the possibility of a third presidential term. These calls cannot be disregarded. The EU urges the Burundian authorities to address this issue wisely and in a spirit of reconciliation in order to rapidly find a broadly-supported solution so as to calm tensions and prevent the situation from deteriorating.

5. Having been invited to do so by the Burundian authorities, the EU has decided to deploy an electoral observation mission from April 2015 in order to guarantee an ongoing and thorough assessment of the electoral process, in close contact with other observation missions. The EU's support for the electoral process, through both the presence of this observation mission and the provision of financial assistance, is conceivable only if the election is inclusive, transparent, and open to all political parties and actors in a fair manner.

6. The EU invites all those involved to take steps to maintain peace and reduce tensions. It deplores the violent events which took place in the Cibitoke province from 30 December 2014 to 3 January 2015 and expresses its concern over allegations of summary executions carried out by members of the security forces and of the youth wing of the CNDD-FDD party. The EU welcomes the establishment of a judicial inquiry commission, which must be able to carry out its work without hindrance and with complete independence. The EU also looks forward to receiving the results of the ongoing inquiry into the killing of three Italian nuns in September 2014 in Bujumbura, which must be conducted in an impartial and transparent manner.