Burundi 2025 — GA Speeches

Madam Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly,

Mr. Secretary-General,

Distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,

I take the floor on behalf of the President of the Republic of Burundi, His Excellency Évariste Ndayishimiye, who has honored me by asking me to represent him at this gathering and thereby to express Burundi's views on the occasion of this 80th anniversary of our Organization, which we celebrate under the theme: "Better Together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights."
Allow me first to express my warm congratulations to Ms. Annalena Baerbock on her brilliant election to the presidency of the 80th session of the General Assembly. Madam Baerbock, you can naturally count on Burundi's full cooperation in carrying out your noble and inspiring mission.
At the same time, allow me to pay well-deserved tribute to your predecessor, Mr. Philémon Yang, for his admirable professional and personal qualities, and for the exceptionally professional manner in which he presided over the 79th session, which we have just successfully concluded.
Lastly, I salute the courage of Mr. António Guterres who, since becoming Secretary-General of our common Organization, has continually advocated for reform of the United Nations' operating system in order to increase its effectiveness and credibility. You have Burundi's support and encouragement, Mr. Secretary-General.

Madam President,

Mr. Secretary-General,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Eighty years ago, the United Nations was born in a world ravaged by war, with the primary mission of preserving peace, fostering cooperation among States, and promoting human rights. Yet, given what is happening today in certain parts of the world, one must ask whether the UN remains on that trajectory. Today, as we celebrate this anniversary, I am honored to reaffirm Burundi's commitment to these founding ideals, the very ones that have guided the Charter of our Organization since 1945. This underscores the importance of the theme that brings us together this year. Far from being a mere slogan, this theme points to a historic necessity, a moral commitment, and an unavoidable path toward a shared future.
Indeed, since its creation, the UN has contributed significantly to the maintenance of peace, has supported the waves of decolonization, has advanced international law, and has promoted the universality of human rights. It has fostered cooperation among nations and inspired generations of leaders and peoples. Burundi, once a beneficiary of this international solidarity, is today an active contributor to it, whether through its peacekeeping troops, its diplomatic engagement, or its voice within multilateral forums.
Furthermore, Burundi is a living example of resilience and restored peace. Our nation went through very difficult times, but through the will of its people and its strengthened institutions, it has been able to turn the page on conflict and has chosen the path of reconciliation, stability, and mutual respect. We have put in place national mechanisms for transitional justice, including a Truth and Reconciliation Commission that continues its work with great dedication, seriousness, and courage, so that future generations can build on solid foundations, free of hatred or a spirit of revenge.
The legislative and communal elections that we have just held this summer, in transparency and in accordance with all electoral rules, are one of the proofs of the peace we have regained, of the democratic maturity of the Burundian people, and of the solidity of our institutions.
On human rights, we reaffirm our commitment to constructive dialogue, respect for cultural diversity, and cooperation based on trust rather than stigmatization. As a member of the Human Rights Council, Burundi will always stand firmly against any form of hierarchization or political instrumentalization of human rights.
In this regard, we denounce the special mechanisms that are sometimes imposed on certain countries, including Burundi, for rather subjective reasons. This is why I reiterate Burundi's request to withdraw the initiative to extend the mandate of the well-known special rapporteur on human rights in my country, who for 10 years has been publishing biased and tendentious reports on Burundi, as though Burundi and time itself had remained frozen ever since.

Madam President,

In Burundi, we have made remarkable efforts to strengthen the rule of law, combat impunity, and promote civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights. Notable progress has been recognized by several partners, both bilateral and multilateral, as demonstrated by our constructive cooperation with them. However, the special rapporteur does not seem to notice these advances.
But, as everyone knows, peace cannot be lasting without development. That is why Burundi has firmly committed itself to implementing the SDGs, with particular attention to agriculture in pursuit of genuine food security, access to education for all, health, energy, the empowerment of women and youth, environmental preservation, and so on.
It is this spirit that underlies our Vision of an Emerging Burundi by 2040 and a Developed Burundi by 2060 — a Vision fully aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, and the concrete expression of our determination to build an inclusive, resilient, and prosperous future in which every citizen, woman and man alike, can fully flourish and actively contribute to their country's sustainable development.

Madam President,

Ladies and gentlemen,

In celebrating the eight decades of our common Organization, we cannot close our eyes to the tensions, the open or latent conflicts, and the horrors we are witnessing in Gaza, in the DRC, in Sudan, in the Sahel, and indeed in many other places on the planet. The violence we have been witnessing in recent times, and above all the indifference and cynicism that accompany it, have reached such a degree that one may sometimes wonder where our humanity has gone; our empathy; our sense of duty; our commitment to cooperate for a better world.
Faced with this situation, Burundi firmly believes that only a renewed and equitable multilateralism can provide lasting answers to the many crises we face. The geopolitical calculations that lead to indifference, inaction, "double standards," or selfishness are leading us toward the abyss. That is why Burundi calls for peace. For genuine peace — that is, peace that is neither selective nor subject to selfish interests. The peace that Burundi desires is one founded on law, dialogue, and respect for the sovereignty of States.

Madam President,

Neither peace nor human rights can flourish without social justice, without equity among nations. That is why Burundi stands alongside its African partners and advocates for fairer representation of Africa within decision-making bodies, particularly the Security Council. This is a condition for legitimacy and effectiveness. How can an entire continent that contributes so much to the life and efforts of the UN be ignored? Africa remains the only continent that, for 80 years, has had no permanent seat on the Security Council.
In this regard, Burundi welcomes the ambition carried by the UN80 initiative to strengthen the effectiveness, coherence, and relevance of the United Nations system. We share the conviction that, 80 years after its founding, our Organization needs clear-eyed and bold modernization.
However, we wish to underscore the concerns expressed by many countries of the Global South, particularly in Africa. It is essential that this reform remain led by member states, in a spirit of geographic equity, transparency, multilingualism, and respect for regional priorities.
Development, economic and social rights, the fight against inequality, climate action, and international solidarity must under no circumstances be relegated to secondary status in the name of streamlining. A more effective UN — yes; a UN reduced to a purely technocratic or budgetary logic — no.
Furthermore, no reform of the United Nations system can bypass the question of its political governance. We recall that the reform of the Security Council, awaited for decades, remains a demand of justice. Africa, strong in its united voice through the Ezulwini Consensus, demands the correction of this historic injustice and equitable representation within decision-making bodies. This is not a favor but an absolute right, if the UN wishes to remain true to itself.
In sum, Burundi supports ambitious reform, on the condition that it be inclusive, just, balanced, and oriented toward the real needs of peoples, rather than shaped by external priorities.

Madam President,

In this drive to rebuild multilateralism on the basis of justice, dialogue, and truth, the recognition of historical injustices stands as an essential foundation for building lasting peace.
That is why Burundi wishes to reaffirm the importance of recognizing the genocide committed against the Hutu of Burundi in 1972, a matter already brought to the attention of this General Assembly during its 79th session. Memory, truth, and reconciliation are powerful levers for the reconstruction of societies and the consolidation of peace. Silence cannot be an option when it comes to restoring the dignity of victims and preventing the repetition of past tragedies.

Thus, Burundi humbly requests the support of all United Nations member states for the process of recognizing this genocide.

Before concluding, I would like to reaffirm Burundi's determination and its call to move forward together toward a shared future. This 80th session represents much more than an anniversary. It is a call. We stand at a crossroads. The 80th session of our General Assembly must be a moment of moral awakening, of solidarity-based renewal, and of the reaffirmation of our common humanity. The UN of tomorrow must be one of equity, justice, and action. It must reflect the realities of the contemporary world, hear all voices, and build lasting peace for present and future generations, as set out in the preamble of the United Nations Charter.
Burundi stands ready to continue making its active contribution to the pursuit and maintenance of peace, and to strengthening the values of equitable and inclusive development, solidarity, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence.

For yes, it is together, better together, that we will be able to preserve peace, guarantee human rights, and secure a dignified future for our children. The credibility and seriousness of our common organization depend on it.

Thank you.