Burundi
After a preliminary mission in December 2002, the main IF mission
for Burundi took place in March 2003. Based on the outcome of this
mission, an aide-mémoire was prepared outlining the main issues to
be addressed in the DTIS and the priority areas for trade-related
technical assistance. The DTIS was completed in November 2003.
A number of trade issues (services, agriculture, mining, regional
trade integration) were included in the November 2003 PRSP.
A preparatory national
workshop took place on December 11 and 12, 2003, followed by the
national workshop on December 18 and 19, 2003.
During the workshop, an implementation plan was prepared and summarized
in an aide-mémoire (pdf
- 15k).
The Minister of Trade presented the outcome of the
workshop during a mid-January 2004 meeting with donors in Brussels on the mobilization
of balance-of-payments support.
The Minister of Trade chaired a high-level core committee, including
the Ministry of Finance to coordinate the follow-up process.
On May 13, 2004, the action matrix was approved at the ministerial
level. Priority areas included national trade development and strengthening
of national trade capacity.
The DTIS Team Leader visited the country in October 2004 to discuss
the follow-up process with the authorities and donors. In preparation
of an implementation workshop, a group of local consultants presented
the Ministry of Commerce with a list of projects derived from the
DTIS action matrix. The government planned to call a donors implementation
meeting to discuss financing support to the DTIS matrix and projects
proposed by the team of local consultants.
Burundi reaffirmed its strong commitment to mainstreaming trade
policy into its poverty reduction and growth strategy. Burundi’s
Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper defined six key themes
and priority actions composing its strategy. One of the priority
actions of this strategy was the need to “improve the macroeconomic
environment and promote high-quality economic growth that will help
reduce poverty.” Promotion of the external sector was identified as a key component of this priority action. Results of
the IF exercise were expected to be included in the next interim
PRSP.
Five Window II projects were launched in the past:
- Standards compliance
- Essential oil production/export
- PVC tube production/export
- hothouse flower production
- fruits and vegetables drying
A list of project proposals has been prepared for submission to
donors for their next round table meeting.
Page last updated on 14 July 2008
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