S/PV.7364 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of Burundi to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite Mr. Jeffrey Feltman, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, and His Excellency Mr. Paul Seger, Permanent Representative of Switzerland and Chair of the Burundi configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, to participate in the meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. Mr. Feltman: I am pleased to brief the Security Council on the final report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Office in Burundi (BNUB). As members of the Council know, the report before the Council (S/2015/36) reviews the progress made in implementing the mandate of BNUB since 31 July 2014. It also takes stock of the overall mandate implementation of United Nations peacekeeping and political missions in Burundi since 2004. Further, it presents an assessment of the remaining challenges facing Burundi, after the closure of BNUB on 31 December. In accordance with Security Council resolution 2137 (2014), BNUB ended its drawdown and its mandate on 31 December. I joined Special Representative of the Secretary-General Onanga-Anyanga in Bujumbura to mark the symbolic closure of the Office on 12 December during my visit to Burundi and had the pleasure to co-chair a warm flag-lowering ceremony with the Minister of External Affairs and International Cooperation. As the Council is aware, Burundi has made substantial progress, overcoming formidable challenges since the end of the civil war. Burundi has adopted power-sharing as a system of governance, established ethnically balanced institutions and held regular elections, and remains committed to the promise of national reconciliation. Burundi is much safer and secure than it was a decade ago. These achievements, and the spirit of the Arusha Accords on which they were built, are first and foremost attributable to the determination of the Burundians to break with the past and work towards a peaceful, democratic and prosperous nation. It is also the result of a remarkable level of steady engagement of regional countries, the United Nations and international partners, demonstrating that concerted international action can yield positive results. Let me emphasize some of the key challenges that Burundi still faces. The spirit of Arusha, with its principles of dialogue, consensus and democracy, has eroded since the 2010 elections as political polarization continues to hamper efforts to consolidate peace, democracy and development. Concerns remain about shrinking political space, restrictions of the right to free assembly and expression, and the challenges of building an independent justice system, which is a critical element of a functioning democracy. Much greater efforts are also required to strengthen pro- poor economic growth and to create employment opportunities, especially for the country’s youth. Organizing peaceful and credible elections is one of the most pressing challenges facing Burundi this year. As previous elections, the 2015 elections present Burundians with the opportunity to further strengthen peace-consolidation efforts undertaken since the Arusha Accords. For that to happen, it would be desirable for the following requirements to be met: First, it is critical that the Independent National Electoral Commission manage the electoral process in an inclusive manner, with integrity, impartiality and independence. Secondly, Burundians, regardless of party affiliation, must be free to exercise their civil and political rights, including their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Moreover, it behooves the Government to ensure that opposition parties and their leaders are able to fully participate in the electoral process. Conversely, opposition parties must play their part, remain engaged throughout the electoral process and use peaceful and democratic means to address all electoral disputes. Thirdly, it is the responsibility of the Government to prevent violence without impinging on the people’s rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly by ensuring that State officials and security forces act impartially and in line with the law. Finally, individuals committing unlawful acts of political violence must be prosecuted without delay. As requested by the Council, the United Nations Electoral Observer Mission in Burundi (MENUB) started operations on 1 January with the mandate to follow and report on the electoral process in Burundi before, during and after the 2015 elections. Special Envoy Uteem undertook his first visit to Burundi from 3 to 17 January, during which he held fruitful meetings with Government officials and members of the diplomatic corps in Bujumbura. He also inaugurated MENUB in the presence of political party leaders, representatives of civil society organizations and the diplomatic corps. Regrettably, Government officials, the president of the Commission électorale nationale indépendante (CENI) and representatives of the ruling Conseil national pour la défense de la démocratie-Forces pour la défense de la démocratie (CNDD-FDD) did not attend the ceremony, as the status of mission agreement had not been signed. We signed that agreement yesterday and believe that the Government will do so today. Clashes at the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo between the Burundian army and armed groups have decreased sharply since July 2014. However, on 30 December, the Burundian army reported clashing with an unidentified armed group of approximately 100 to 200 members entering from neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo into Burundi’s Cibitoke province. Over the course of several days, the Burundian army reportedly defeated the group, killing between 95 and 105 of its members. The Government did not formally identify the attackers, and no-one has claimed responsibility for the clash. In another incident, on 4 January, five unidentified gunmen dressed in military fatigues executed three members of the ruling CNDD-FDD in a bar in Ruyigi province, some 250 kilometres east of Bujumbura. If not managed carefully, incidents such as those, at a time of elections, could heighten political tensions. Beyond the elections, Burundi faces challenges no less critical. Improvements in health, education, employment and infrastructure need to be at the heart of the political debate if the country’s leaders are committed to placing the national interest above all others. The Government will need to broaden political space and allow democratic institutions to provide the checks and balances essential for a functioning democracy, especially if it wants to forge broader consensus in policy formulation. Security and justice sector institutions will require sustained professionalization and capacity-building, especially if they are to retain the public trust. Addressing the remaining challenges will require the efforts of all Burundians and sustained support from Burundi’s development partners. The joint communiqué of the Burundi partners conference of 12 December re-emphasized the mutual commitments of the Government and its partners adopted at the 2012 Geneva Partners Conference. As part of its commitments, the Government guaranteed a credible, inclusive and peaceful electoral process, while international and regional partners pledged to continue to support the country’s peace consolidation and socioeconomic development efforts. In that regard, I am pleased to note that the United Nations will continue to provide support through the Peacebuilding Fund to enhance political dialogue and social cohesion, youth participation in political and socioeconomic life, human rights and the resolution of land disputes. I would like to underscore the importance of the Security Council’s support for regional peace and security efforts. The Council’s support for the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region presents an opportunity in that respect. The African Union, the East African Community and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region all have important roles to play in that regard. In concluding, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people and the Government of Burundi for the cooperation extended to BNUB, including the seamless and timely completion of the mission’s drawdown and exit. I would like to thank the former Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, for his outstanding leadership and all BNUB staff for their contribution to the United Nations efforts in Burundi. I would also like to reiterate our appreciation to the Peacebuilding Commission, the Peacebuilding Fund and all bilateral donors for the fruitful partnership for peacebuilding in Burundi. Finally, I thank the Council for its continued commitment to Burundi through the deployment of United Nations field presences in the country over the past 10 years.

I thank Mr. Feltman for his briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Seger.

Let me, at the outset, thank the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Mr. Jeffrey Feltman, who has just spoken, for his very comprehensive briefing and his personal commitment to the cause of Burundi. We had the pleasure to cross paths in Bujumbura in mid-December 2014 and to jointly attend several meetings, including the closing ceremony for the United Nations Office in Burundi (BNUB), on 12 December, which he mentioned. Also, Mr. Feltman’s participation in the round-table meeting between the Government and its main international partners on 11 and 12 December was an important factor for its success. Let me also welcome the presence of the Burundian representative and my dear friend, His Excellency Mr. Albert Shingiro, who was also in Burundi during my trip and whose personal engagement was decisive for the adoption of the joint declaration in Bujumbura. Since today’s briefing is the last one on BNUB, I would like to join with others in expressing my gratitude to the former Special Representative of the Secretary-General, my dear friend Mr. Parfait Onanga- Anyanga, and his team for their outstanding efforts for the Burundian nation and for our partnership in this common endeavour. However, despite BNUB’s departure — and I am sure Parfait would concur with me on this — it is not yet time to look to the past. On the contrary, our focus should be on the future. The stakes are too high, especially in the context of the electoral process, to allow us to lower our guard. In my capacity as Chair of the Burundi configuration, I visited Burundi from 8 to 12 December 2014 together with the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, Mr. Oscar Fernandez- Taranco. Since I already transmitted a detailed report to the Council, which was attached to my letter dated 30 December 2014 (S/2014/954), I will address only the most important aspect, the round-table meeting. I was heartened by the discussions we had during the two-day event on important issues such as the follow-up to the mutual commitments taken in Geneva in 2012, the implications of BNUB’s drawdown on the wider international cooperation between Burundi and its partners, and the future prospects for the partnership, assuming that the elections will be free, transparent, credible, inclusive and peaceful. In that regard, I especially welcome President Nkurunziza’s personal commitment to free, inclusive and peaceful elections, as expressed at the opening of the round-table meeting. The joint communiqué adopted at the end of the round table is a very promising step, and it is my hope that going forward it will serve as a guiding document for all of us. I appeal both to the Government of Burundi and to international partners to fully implement the political commitments made in the joint communiqué. Let me now turn to three main points that, in my view, merit particular attention from the Council: first, the current security situation; secondly, the United Nations presence on the ground; and, thirdly, the future of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). I fully share the concerns expressed by Under- Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman regarding the recent acts of violence in the provinces of Cibitoke and Ruyigi, which, unfortunately, resulted in a significant number of victims. Those recent attacks, as well as all recourse to violent means for political ends, must be firmly condemned. Given that uncertainties persist regarding the identity of the armed groups and the exact nature of the hostilities, I strongly recommend that the competent national authorities carry out investigations into the events in a quick and impartial manner. As long as the facts have not been established, rumours will spread and aggravate the already tense political environment in the run-up to the elections. I am convinced that an impartial investigation could serve as a much-needed confidence-building measure. In the same vein, I also strongly condemn the attack on 4 January by unidentified assailants on supporters of the ruling party, the Conseil national pour la défense de la démocratie-Forces pour la défense de la démocratie (CNDD-FDD), near the border with Tanzania, that claimed three lives. Those incidents have shown once again that despite BNUB’s drawdown, we — and here I include the Council — must remain vigilant. The electoral phase is getting into full swing and is creating tensions that need be carefully managed. We would be ill-advised to be lulled into complacency at this point. It goes without saying that violence, by whomsoever committed, should have no place in Burundi. In the context of the electoral process, the only viable option for all Burundian stakeholders is the path of dialogue, based on the spirit of Arusha. This cannot be stressed enough. Only a truly inclusive political dialogue and an open political space that ensures the protection of all public liberties and rights for all can lay the groundwork for genuinely free, fair, peaceful and credible elections. Let me now turn to my second point. The presence of the United Nations on the ground is undergoing substantial changes. The United Nations country team, headed by the Resident Coordinator; the new electoral mission, the United Nations Electoral Observer Mission in Burundi (MENUB); and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights must work hand in hand to ensure maximum impact. Also, the Government must continue to cooperate with the entire United Nations family constructively and in good faith. Following BNUB’s drawdown, the electoral mission MENUB was officially inaugurated at a ceremony in Bujumbura on Monday, 12 January, as the Assistant Secretary-General noted. I welcome today’s signing of the status-of-mission agreement, which forms the basis for constructive cooperation between the Burundian Government and MENUB. I trust that MENUB will now be able to play the role with which it has been entrusted by the Security Council, and as requested by the Burundian Government, including engaging with all political actors in Burundi. We had the pleasure to welcome the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General and Head of MENUB, Mr. Cassam Uteem, at a Steering Group meeting of the Burundi configuration on 22 December, and I very much look forward to closely cooperating with him and his team throughout the electoral period. With BNUB’s mandate at an end, the United Nations country team, headed by the Resident Coordinator, now leads the United Nations presence on the ground. In a bilateral meeting with UNDP Administrator Ms. Helen Clark last week, assured me that her office is well aware of, and taking the measures necessary to accommodate, the specific needs resulting from the current political context in view of the upcoming elections, including the appointment of the new Resident Coordinator, who, I have been told, has been selected and has the right profile. Ms. Clark also promised to accelerate the process of translating the latest grant of the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), totaling $11.65 million, into impactful projects in order to support Burundi’s peaceful transition. One of the PBF projects that is ready for implementation is the establishment of a network of human rights defenders to be deployed throughout the country. The project was elaborated over the past nine months in agreement and in close cooperation with Burundi. That observation network would be a very welcome addition to the measures taken to protect and promote the full respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms during the electoral period. As Burundi recently reiterated its commitment to pursue the promotion of all public freedoms and to ensure the protection of all human rights defenders in the round- table communiqué of 12 December 2014, I urge all parties involved to redouble their efforts so as to ensure the prompt deployment of the network. I was also informed that there are important outstanding staffing needs within the United Nations country team, particularly in the Resident Coordinator’s office. Given the importance of a well-functioning country team, I strongly encourage Member States to consider closing the capacity gaps by seconding staff to the office. Similarly, the OHCHR bureau is in dire need of financial stability and operational predictability, and has for this reason already lost experienced staff in Burundi. Human rights support and monitoring remain as important as ever in Burundi, and I therefore urge Member States to contribute the necessary financial resources to the OHCHR, to wit, $2.2 million per year. I thank the Peacebuilding Fund and Germany for their substantial support in this regard and hope that others will follow suit as soon as possible. My third and last point pertains to the future of the PBC. As indicated in my report, my designated successor as Permanent Representative, Ambassador Jurg Lauber, joined me on my last trip to Burundi, primarily to show Switzerland’s commitment to carry on with the mandate in case Burundi wishes to remain on the PBC’s agenda. We specifically raised this issue at our meeting with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Laurent Kavakure; of course, the question of whether Burundi wants to carry on with the PBC must first and foremost be answered by the Government. I see merit in continuing the engagement beyond this year’s elections, for two reasons in particular. First, the PBC would ensure an element of continuity in the accompaniment of the country. BNUB is already gone, and MENUB’s mandate will also expire in the aftermath of the elections. The PBC can help smooth the effects of this transition by remaining engaged through its three main pillars: political support, resource mobilization and the promotion of coherence in international assistance. Secondly, and depending on the success of the electoral process, the PBC could in future focus even more on socioeconomic development. Here I fully agree with the Assistant Secretary-General that the economic aspect is very important. The current four-year poverty reduction strategy paper will expire in 2016, and, consequently, a new one will have to be elaborated and promoted in order to attract investment. Given the Burundi configuration’s ability to convene and the experience it gained in the context of the Geneva process, it could play an important role in supporting the dialogue on the second poverty reduction strategy paper development strategy and in supporting its implementation. The PBC could also look into the possibility of creating an international forum aimed at attracting private investment in Burundi. I have already raised this issue with the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to the Great Lakes Region, Mr. Said Djinnit, and could further explore it with the World Bank and the African Development Bank. Continuing close cooperation with international financial institutions would certainly remain a pillar for future Peacebuilding Commission engagement. In that regard, I warmly welcome the World Bank decision, taken 13 January during a Board of Directors meeting convened by the Swiss Executive Director, to allocate $25 million to support economic reform and to remain attentive to the situation in Burundi. Ultimately, the decision whether or not to continue the involvement of the Peacebuilding Commission will have to be taken by Burundi itself following discussion within the configuration. To that end, I am currently preparing a working document to guide our consideration of the matter. In the meantime, I will continue to fully discharge my duties as Chair of the Burundi configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission throughout the electoral process. I intend to visit the country two more times, in April and June/July, before my own departure. As per usual practice, I will continue to keep the Council informed on the activities of the configuration, and on my trips in particular, knowing that the Council will remain firmly engaged in Burundi throughout the crucial electoral period.

I thank Mr. Seger for his briefing. I now give the floor to the representative of Burundi.

As this is the first time I take the floor, Sir, under your presidency, let me first congratulate you personally and your country on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of January 2015. Rest assured of the full cooperation of the Burundian delegation during your tenure. Before entering the heart of the matter that brings us together this morning, let me also thank you for convening this important meeting on the latest report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Office in Burundi (BNUB) (S/2015/36). We also thank Mr. Jeffrey Feltman, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, for his extremely detailed briefing and special interest in our country, Burundi. We recall the strong and constructive message he delivered during his last visit to Burundi, in mid-December, and his wise counsel during the 12 December 2014 meeting with the President of the Republic shortly after the BNUB flag- lowering ceremony. I would also like to thank Mr. Parfait Onanga Anyanga, former Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Burundi, for the excellent work he did while posted in Bujumbura. We particularly appreciate that he brought a successful conclusion to the enormous work he was able to accomplish in our country in such a short time. I will focus on four main areas, namely, the electoral process under way with a view to general elections in 2015, a few words on the round table following the Geneva Conference on Burundi held in mid-December 2014 in Bujumbura, and an overview of the security situation. And of course, afterwards I will also make a few general comments on the report (S/2015/36) submitted for the Council’s consideration today. As the Council is aware, the year 2015 will be one of general elections in Burundi. As elsewhere, the Government has taken care to entrust this important event to the Commission électorale nationale indépendante (CENI), which was set up by consensus. The preparatory process is therefore under way, and an important step has just been taken with the completion of the electoral enrolment operation throughout the national territory and in Burundian Embassies abroad. The operation went very smoothly overall despite the observance in some areas of a few isolated cases of logistical irregularities. Those irregularities will not, however, undermine the entire оperatiоn. As the report recommends in paragraph 63, the Government is committed to doing everything in its power to ensure that the 2015 elections are free, democratic, inclusive, transparent and take place in a peaceful climate. The Electoral Code, the code of conduct and the road map that have been set up by consensus are, in our view, essential to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections. In paragraph 65 of the report, the Secretary-General expresses his certainty that those instruments, which were adopted by consensus, are essential to the continuation of the process. We agree with him. The Council may have heard in certain political circles and civil society allegations of an attempt to manipulate the elections. The report refers to that in paragraph 15. Those unfounded concerns are from one of the opposition parties. I must say here that, after having heard those accusations, which were based on isolated and minor cases, the Government and CENI launched messages of appeasement to call on Burundian politicians, civil society and the media to adopt responsible language and behaviour that respect the principles of democracy and tolerance — behavior that would take into account the political culture of our population, bearing in mind the fact that Burundi is a young, still-developing democracy. The quality of the electoral process will depend in part on the experience accumulated gradually since the 2005 elections. At the meeting on 22 December 2014 between CENI and electoral process stakeholders on the evaluation of the voter enrolment, participants had an opportunity to share concerns about technical and policy solutions that will help CENI complete the finishing touches on the provisional election register. In that connection we have established a regular and open debate on all the matters raised. As the Council is aware, we have championed dialogue since the Arusha Accords, and we will not shirk our responsibilty. Moreover, the report even acknowledges, in paragraph 64, the strong commitment of the Government of Burundi to maintain a frank and ongoing dialogue on the matter. We would like to take this opportunity to once again express the gratitude of the Government of Burundi to all partners that have already provided financial and material support to the electoral process. The latest to sign the financing convention to support the ongoing electoral process was the European Union, with an amount of €8 million. Of course, we invite all those who wish to do so to act promptly. We also greatly appreciate the countries and international organizations that have agreed to send electoral observation missions before, during and after the elections in order to put an end to partisan speculation such as that which occurred in 2010 with the unjustified boycott by certain political parties. We hope that they will not commit the same error this year, because the empty-chair policy does not benefit anyone. Even without popular support, one must play the game. In that regard, we welcome the appointment of the Head of the United Nations Electoral Observation Mission in Burundi (MENUB), Mr. Cassam Uteem and we wish him every success in his new duties. He can count on the cooperation of my Government to that effect. The status of mission agreement on MENUB staff has just been finalized between the two parties, allowing his team to work on the ground on a solid legal basis. As we all know, elections are actually a sign of a properly functioning democracy — because democracy is the set of facts and actions of the daily life of citizens with respect to themselves and the institutions that govern them. Democracy cannot develop in a fragmented, divided society where there is distrust. In that context, the Government of Burundi has just established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and the 11 individuals who will serve as commissioners were elected in a climate of transparency. As the Council knows, Burundi is currently moving from the post-conflict phase to the sustainable socioeconomic development phase. The continuing reconstruction of the country and the long and arduous journey to the harmonious development of the Burundian people require enormous resources that Burundi cannot afford on its own. In that framework, on 11 and 12 December 2014 in Bujumbura, we held with our partners a round table between Burundi and its main development partners. We engaged in a dialogue wherein we took stock of the current strategic framework for growth and poverty reduction by highlighting the progress achieved and the challenges that remain in implementing our mutual commitments. We thank Ambassador Seger for using his expertise to facilitate the negotiations and the adoption of the joint communiqué that led to the round table. We call on our partners to review the document so that the commitments reiterated at the Club du Lac Hotel in Bujumbura will become a reality. With regard to security and stability, Burundi is a very safe country, as the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs mentioned early in his briefing, except for a few isolated cases of crime in some parts of the country. Peace and security prevail throughout the nation’s territory and people go about their normal activities, as the report acknowledges in paragraph 20. The Government has pledged to stem all forms of crime and disruptions to peace and security. It is worth mentioning that at the end of December 2014, while people were preparing to celebrate the end of the year, Burundi experienced an infiltration, from the neighbouring territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, of a column of armed men who were quickly subdued by our courageous soldiers. We once again reject the choice of violence as a way to achieve political gains in our country. As the report of the Secretary-General indicates in paragraph 59, my country has come a long way. Burundi has suffered greatly through cycles of violence and peace was hard won, thanks to the peace agreements, including the Arusha Accords. For us, this is an achievement to be preserved. The use of violence is unacceptable and must give way to a war of ideas and development programmes. Speaking of our restored peace that we have regained thanks to the support of the international community, we will continue to support peace, Burundi shall express its gratitude by participating in peacekeeping missions, particularly in Somalia and the Central African Republic. For us, it is a badge of honour to be among the first francophone troop-contributing countries. We take this opportunity to launch again an appeal to the international community to provide more support to our troops who are doing excellent work on the ground far from their families. I now turn to the report submitted for the Council’s consideration. In section C of the report, paragraphs 24 and 25, reference is made to the process of establishing the transitional justice mechanisms. I spoke earlier about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that is already in place. Now the international community must provide sufficient support to the Commission to carry out its mission. With regard to section D of the report on governance and institution-building, the Government of Burundi will continue to work to combat corruption and seek to address the remaining challenges in this area, which is an ongoing battle. In that regard, we thank our technical and financial partners for their support to the institutions that fight corruption and promote good governance in our country. Of course, we thank our local partners in civil society, who continue to contribute to the common fight against the scourge of corruption. They know who they are. I cannot name them all here as I might forget some. In terms of the rule of law, as addressed in section E, it would be idealistic to want to establish a perfect rule of law. As the Council knows, the rule of law is an ideal that no country in the world has fully achieved. Despite this, the Government has taken commendable initiatives towards this ideal or at least to try to approximate it. This is the case particularly when we look at the holding of the National Conference on Justice, the drafting of the strategic plan on judicial ethics of the Supreme Council of Magistrates, the review of the legal framework for prisons and correctional institutions and so forth. Even if these efforts were overlooked by the drafters of the report, these are the facts and they have produced tangible results, even though many challenges remain. With regard to the promotion and protection of human rights in section F of the report, we welcome the fact that the report recognizes that the country has seen significant progress and a marked decrease in the number of what the report calls extrajudicial killings and the political violence of young people who are affiliated with political parties. In that respect, we recall that the fight against impunity remains a priority for the Government. As for section G on social and economic development, we recall that Burundi, like most developing countries, cannot attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the deadline. However, remarkable progress has been made in the areas of education and health. In any case, development assistance must be reconsidered to accelerate the achievement of the MDGs, which still have not been met in our countries, and the post-2015 agenda is a good opportunity to do so. The conference on financing for development to be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in July will be important in that regard. On issues related to peacebuilding addressed in section C of Chapter IV on cross-cutting issues, the United Nations country team which has just taken over from BNUB will have to implement the peacebuilding priority plan for 2014-2016, which is the result of an inclusive process. With regard to BNUB and its transformation into a country team, addressed in Chapter V of the report, let me recall that the lowering of the BNUB flag took place on 12 December 2014 in the presence of the two co-Chairs of the ceremony, Mr. Jeffrey Feltman, who is present in the Chamber, and Mr. Laurent Kavakure, Burundian Minister for External Relations and International Cooperation. It must be said that this symbolic gesture was the expression of two desires: first, that of the Government of Burundi, which was eager to move forward and fully appropriate the national peacebuilding process, which is now in a mature phase, as has been the case since 2005; and, secondly, that of the Security Council, as expressed in its resolution 2137 (2014) of 13 February 2014. We rightly acknowledge that BNUB, under the enlightened leadership of Mr. Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, has carried out work in political dialogue, protecting human rights and strengthening the institutional capacity of the Government and civil society and has supported the election process under way. The United Nations, of which the Council is a part, can be proud of having contributed to this shared success.

There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. I now invite Council members to informal consultations to continue our discussion on the subject.