Burundi Overview Travel Warning We strongly advise against all travel to Burindi and suggest you visit one of the following government websites for the latest risk assessment: British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Website: www.fco.gov.uk/travel/countryadvice.asp Tel: +44 (0)20 7238 4503/4 US Department of State Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Website: http://voyage.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/destinations/menu General Information Area: 27,834 sq km (10,747 sq miles). Population: 6,483,000 (1999). Population Density: 232.9 per sq km. Capital: Bujumbura. Population: 300,000 (1993). GEOGRAPHY: Burundi is a land-locked country in the heart of Africa, a little south of the equator, on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika. It is bordered by Rwanda to the north, by the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west and by Tanzania to the south and east. The interior is a broken plateau sloping east to Tanzania and the valley of the River Malagarasi. The southern tributary of the Nile system rises in the south of the country. The landscape is characterised by hills and valleys covered with eucalyptus trees, banana groves, cultivated fields and pasture. In the east, the fertile area gives way to savannah grassland, and tea and coffee are now grown on mountainsides. Government: Republic. Gained independence from Belgium in 1966. Head of State and Government: President Pierre Buyoya since 1996. Burundi is in a state of civil war. Language: The official languages are French and Kirundi, a Bantu language. Swahili and English are also spoken. Religion: Mainly Roman Catholic; there are Anglican and Pentecostalist minorities. Animist beliefs are held by a significant minority. There is also a small Muslim community. Time: GMT + 2. Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Communications:   Telephone IDD is available. Country code: 257. Outgoing international code: 00. Outgoing international calls must be made through the international operator (16). Mobile telephone GSM 900 networks are operated by Telcel Burundi (website: www.telecel.com), SAFARIS and Spacetel. Coverage is mainly over the west of the country. Internet ISPs include the Government-run CBI Net (website: www.cbinf.com). New Internet providers are currently being set up in Bujumbura. There are a few Internet cafes in Bujumbura. Telegram Facilities are available from Direction des Télécommunications in Bujumbura. Post The main post office in Bujumbura is open Mon-Fri 0730-1200 and 1400-1730, Sat 0830-1200. Press No English-language newspapers are published. Most publications are in French (such as Le Renouveau du Burundi) or local languages (such as Ubumwe in Kirundi). The two main newspapers are government-controlled. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 17.89 15.42 9.630 6.005 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 15.58 11.98 6.035 0.909 Passport/Visa   Passport Required? Visa Required? Return Ticket Required? British Yes Yes Yes Australian Yes Yes Yes Canadian Yes Yes Yes USA Yes Yes Yes OtherEU Yes Yes Yes Japanese Yes Yes Yes PASSPORTS: Valid passport for at least six months required by all. VISAS: Required by all except nationals of Rwanda and Uganda. Passengers arriving at Bujumbura airport from countries where Burundi does not have diplomatic representation can obtain visas, providing they have previously informed their travel agency of their passport number, identity and flight details. It is better to obtain a visa in advance from the nearest Burundi embassy. Types of visa and cost: Tourist or Business: €50 (one month). A visa extension is available from the Immigration Department. A transit visa is not required for passengers continuing their journey to a third country provided holding valid onward documentation and not leaving the airport. A Re-entry Permit is required for all alien residents. Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section. Application requirements: (a) Valid passport. (b) One application form (requests for application forms should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope). (c) One passport-size photo. (d) Return ticket or copy of flight itinerary. (e) Fee. (f) Stamped, self-addressed envelope for recorded delivery. (g) For Business visas, a letter from the applicant’s employer and the sponsoring company in Burundi. Working days required: Two days. Applications should be made as far as possible in advance of the intended date of departure. Money Currency: Burundi Franc (Bufr) = 100 centimes. Notes are in denominations of Bufr5000, 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of Bufr10, 5 and 1. Currency exchange: All exchange transactions must be conducted through one of the main banks in Bujumbura or Gitega. Credit & debit cards: Major credit cards have very limited acceptance. Travellers cheques: To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or Euros. Commission rates are usually high. Currency restrictions: The import and export of local currency is limited to Bufr2000. The import and export of foreign currency is unlimited, subject to declaration. Exchange rate indicators The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Burundi Franc against Sterling and the US Dollar: Date May ’02 Aug ’02 Nov ’02 Feb ’03 £1.00= 1266.30 1328.18 1667.71 1703.72 $1.00= 868.94 873.29 1054.58 1070.00 Banking hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1130 and 1500-1600; Sat 0830-1230. Duty Free The following goods may be taken into Burundi without incurring customs duty: 1000 cigarettes or 1kg of tobacco; 1l of alcoholic beverages. Note: A deposit may be required for items such as cameras and typewriters. Public Holidays Jan 1 2003 New Year’s Day. Feb 5 Unity Day. May 1 Labour Day. May 29 Ascension. Jul 1 Independence Day. Aug 15 Assumption. Sep 18 Victory of UPRONA Day. Oct 13 Anniversary of Rwagasore’s Assassination. Oct 21 Anniversary of President Ndadaye’s Assassination. Nov 1 All Saints’ Day. Dec 25 Christmas Day. Jan 1 2004 New Year’s Day. Feb 5 Unity Day. May 1 Labour Day. May 20 Ascension. Jul 1 Independence Day. Aug 15 Assumption. Sep 18 Victory of UPRONA Day. Oct 13 Anniversary of Rwagasore’s Assassination. Oct 21 Anniversary of President Ndadaye’s Assassination. Nov 1 All Saints’ Day. Dec 25 Christmas Day. Health   Special Precautions Certificate Required Yellow Fever Yes 1 Cholera Yes 2 Typhoid and Polio 3 N/A Malaria 4 N/A 1: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year of age arriving from infected areas. The country is officially considered endemic for yellow fever. Travellers arriving from non-endemic zones should note that vaccination is strongly recommended for travel outside the urban areas, even if an outbreak of the disease has not been reported and they would normally not require a vaccination certificate to enter the country. 2: Despite WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate may still be a condition of entry to Burundi. Cholera is a serious risk in this country and precautions are essential; there was a serious outbreak in the Rumonage District in 1999. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness. See the Health appendix. 3: Vaccines against poliomyelitis and typhoid are advised. 4: Malaria risk exists throughout the year, predominantly in the malignant falciparum form, in the whole country. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported. The recommended prophylaxis is mefloquine. Food & drink: All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised, but make sure that it is reconstituted with pure water. Avoid dairy products that are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled. Note: Visitors may be asked to show proof of vaccination against meningococcal meningitis. Other risks: Hepatitis A and E, dysentery and typhoid fever are widespread. Hepatitis B is hyperendemic. Meningitis is present all year (see note above). Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present. Avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water. Swimming pools that are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Onchocerciasis (river blindness) is present, as is human trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) in certain areas. HIV/Aids is prevalent. Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix. Health care: Medical insurance, including repatriation, is essential. Travel - International Note: Owing to political instability, all travel to Burundi is inadvisable at present. For further advice contact your local government travel advice department. AIR: Burundi’s national airline is Air Burundi (8Y). Other airlines serving Bujumbura include Ethiopian Airlines, KLM, Air Tanzania Corporation and Kenya Airways. There are no direct flights from Europe or the USA at present. International airports: Bujumbura International (BJM) is 11km (7 miles) north of the city. Taxis are available to and from the city. Airport facilities include banks/bureaux de change, bars, duty-free shops, post office, light refreshments and car hire. Departure tax: US$20. LAKE: Cargo/passenger ferries ply Lake Tanganyika between Kigoma (Tanzania) and Mpulungu (Zambia) calling at various ports including Bujumbura, when political conditions permit. There are normally some ferries to Kalemi (Congo, Dem Rep). There are three classes. Ferries can often be delayed depending on the cargo being loaded or unloaded. ROAD: It is normally possible to drive into Burundi from Democratic Republic of Congo, either from the north or south. Roads from Rwanda are reasonable, but from Tanzania, poor. However the viability of crossing these borders depends on prevailing political conditions, and border areas can be very dangerous. Travel - Internal AIR: There are no scheduled internal flights at present. ROAD: Most roads are sealed. There are main roads east from Bujumbura to Muramvya (once the royal city of Burundi) and south to Gitega. Both journeys can be completed without too much strain during the dry season, but any road travel can be difficult in the rainy season. Traffic drives on the right. Bus: There are services around Bujumbura and main towns only. Japanese-style minibuses operate between towns and are normally cheaper and less crowded than share-taxis; departures (when the vehicle is full) are normally from bus stands. Taxi: Tanus-tanus (truck taxis) are usually available but they are often crowded. Car hire: It may be possible to arrange some form of car hire via a local garage. Documentation: Driving licences issued by the UK are acceptable. Note: Public transport outside Bujumbura is reported to be dangerous. Accommodation HOTELS: Almost all the hotels in the country are situated in the capital, Bujumbura, although there are a few in Gitega, Ngozi, Muyinga and Kirundo. Elsewhere in the country there is virtually no accommodation for visitors. For information contact the Office National du Tourisme (see Contact Addresses section); or NITRA, BP 1402, 7 place de l’Indépendence, Bujumbura (tel: 222 321; fax: 220 704; e-mail: nitra@usan-bu.net). CAMPING: Currently very dangerous. Generally frowned upon, particularly near towns. Permission should always be obtained from the local authorities. Introduction The capital port-city of Bujumbura, situated on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, is a bustling town with a population of some 300,000 inhabitants. The area was colonised by Germany at the end of the 19th century, and there is still architecture dating from that period of Burundi's history, including the Postmaster's House. Other attractions include three museums and the Islamic Cultural Centre. Various cafes and restaurants line the lake, where (in normal circumtances) there are some opportunities for watersports, including sailing, water-skiing and fishing. There is an excellent market. Around 10km (6.2 miles) south of the city, a stone marks the historic meeting-place of Stanley and Livingstone. Other points of interest in the country include the former royal cities of Muramvya and Gitega (with its Chutes de la Kagera waterfall and its recently renovated National Museum), and the monument near Rutovu, in Bururi Province, which marks Burundi's claim to the source of the Nile. Sport & Activities General: Soccer is the national game. Burundians also excel in track and field events, often competing at an international level. People of all ages play the ancient game of urubugu, or mancala. It is played with pebbles or seashells on hollows scooped out on the ground, or with seeds on expensive, elaborately carved wooden boards. Social Profile Food & Drink: The choice is limited. Meals in Bujumbura’s hotels are reasonable, but expensive and of fairly average quality. The French and Greek restaurants in the town are good. There are few restaurants outside the capital and Gitega. Nightlife: There are several nightclubs, restaurants and bars in Bujumbura. Shopping: Local crafts, particularly basketwork, make excellent buys. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1200 and 1500, Sat 0830-1230. Social Conventions: Normal social courtesies apply. However, outside the cities people may not be used to visitors, and care and tact must be used in respect of local customs. Inhabitants of major towns generally have a more modern way of life. Dress should be reasonably conservative. Tipping: As a rule, no service charge is levied automatically; ten per cent is the recommended tip. Business Profile Economy: Subsistence agriculture employs 90 per cent of the workforce and accounts for about half of total economic output. Cassava and sweet potatoes are the main subsistence crops while coffee (the country’s leading export), tea and cotton are the main cash crops. Hides and skins also produce valuable income. The country’s small mining industry produces gold, tin, tungsten and tantalum. Deposits of vanadium, uranium and nickel – perhaps five per cent of known global reserves – have also been located and are due to be exploited in the near future. Oil deposits are believed to be present, though the quantities are unknown. Manufacturing is confined to small textile concerns. Burundi has economic cooperation agreements with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo through the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries and is a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and of the International Coffee Organisation. As one of the poorest countries in the world, Burundi remains heavily dependent on foreign aid, principally from France, Germany, Belgium (these three are also its major sources of imports), the EU and the World Bank. At present, both receipts from abroad and the performance of the domestic economy are critically dependent on the ability of the new power-sharing administration (see History and Government section) to function effectively and bring the civil war to an end. Burundi’s major export markets are the countries of the CFA Franc zone, which take approximately one-third of the total, followed by Belgium-Luxembourg, the USA, the UK, France and The Netherlands. Business: Lightweight suits are necessary. April to October and December to January are the best times to visit. Office hours: Mon-Fri 0730-1200 and 1400-1730. Commercial Information: The following organisation can offer advice: Chambre de Commerce et de l’Industrie du Burundi, BP 313, Bujumbura (tel: 222 280; fax: 227 895; e-mail: ccib@cbinf.com; website: www.ccib.com). Conferences/Conventions: The following is the main organisation: Intercontact, BP 982, 19 rue de l’Industrie, Bujumbura (tel: 226 618 or 226 666; fax: 226 603; e-mail: interco@cbinf.com; website: www.burundi-contact.com). Climate A hot equatorial climate is found near Lake Tanganyika and in the Ruzizi River plain. It is often windy on the lake. The rest of the country is mild and pleasant. Burundi has two rainy seasons – the major one from February to April, with a minor rainy season between September and December, and two dry seasons, the long dry season from May to August and the shorter dry season between December and February. Required clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens with waterproofs for the rainy season. Warm clothes are recommended for the evening. History and Government History: The agricultural Hutu and pastoralist Tutsi have occupied the area for many centuries with the Tutsi occupying the dominant social positions (though the original relationship was more symbiotic in nature). The society was never highly centralised and proved unable to withstand the advances of the Germans during the scramble for Africa in the 19th century. The country subsequently became part of German East Africa. After 1919, Burundi and neighbouring Rwanda were administered by the Belgians. Both countries gained independence in 1962. Burundi’s chronic instability since then is very largely attributable to the tribal rivalry between the Tutsi who have traditionally dominated the army, the civil service and the higher reaches of the economy, and the Hutu, who have suffered systematic discrimination to exclude them from any areas of influence. The antagonism has occasionally flared up into mass violence and the massacre of tens of thousands, especially in 1972 and 1988 (though it has never reached the scale of neighbouring Rwanda where the same ethnic split prevails). In 1966 the ruling King Mwami was deposed in the first of three military coups between then and 1987: at that point Burundi’s present ruler, (the then Major) Pierre Buyoya, took control for the first time. After the introduction of a new constitution by Buyoya in 1992, multi-party elections for a National Assembly were held in June 1993. Against widespread expectation, the incumbent President Buyoya was peacefully displaced by Melchior Ndadaye, a Hutu banker whose Front for Democracy in Burundi (FRODEBU) took 60 per cent of the popular vote and three-quarters of seats in the National Assembly. (Buyoya represents the main Tutsi party, UPRONA). Another military coup in October 1993 was unsuccessful but claimed the life of President Ndadaye. In January 1994, Cyprien Ntaryamira took over but had an equally short tenure; returning from an overseas trip with Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana, he was killed in a plane crash (see Rwanda section). This was the incident that set off the genocide in Rwanda. Burundi narrowly avoided the same fate, but tensions between Tutsi and Hutu sharply increased and the civil war that followed has claimed 300,000 lives – in Nelson Mandela’s words, ‘a slow-burning genocide’. Two years later, in 1996, exasperated by the perceived inertia and incompetence of the civilian FRODEBU government, the former president Pierre Buyoya took power in another coup. The 1992 constitution was suspended and then replaced by a 1998 version (see below) which enlarged the National Assembly and created two Vice-Presidents, one Hutu and one Tutsi. In spite of this, the guerrilla war between the Hutu rebels, the FDD (Forces for the Defence of Democracy) and the army intensified in the short term. However, mediation efforts by the Tanzanians and, decisively, Nelson Mandela, drew the parties into a draft accord in March 2000 and a final settlement in November 2001. Under the terms of the latter, a transitional government jointly led by Buyoya and FRODEBU leader Domitien Ndayizeye, will hold power for three years pending national elections. A South African-led peacekeeping force will endeavour to keep extremists on both sides from undermining the process. Government: Under the 1998 constitution, modified from the 1992 constitution, executive power rests with an elected president. Legislative power is held by the national transitional Assembly, comprising the 81 elected members of the former National Assembly elected under the old 1992 constitution, plus 40 additional members appointed from political parties and ‘civil society’. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.