Inclusive dialogue, the only option for Burundi - Ki-moon

The United Nations has welcomed the recent political dialogue for Burundi.

Last weekend, a new round of peace talks was launched in Arusha, Tanzania under the auspices of former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon lauded Mkapa’s decision to continue mediations efforts with those who did not attend the talks.

Solution to political crisis in Burundi can only be found through inclusive dialogue – Ban Ki-moon's Statement: https://t.co/WtmXYHhu8R

— UN Spokesperson (@UN_Spokesperson) May 27, 2016

“The Secretary-General stresses that a solution to the year-long political crisis in Burundi can only be found through an inclusive dialogue process that upholds the Constitution of Burundi as well as the principles of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement for Burundi, of which the United Nations and the region are guarantors,” a statement attributable to the spokesman for the secretary general said.

Burundi has been mired in a year-long crisis. Since president Pierre Nkurunziza announced his bid for a third term in office, more than 400 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands have fled the nation to neighbouring countries.

“The Secretary-General fully supports regional efforts aimed at fostering a peaceful settlement to the crisis and reiterates the readiness of the United Nations to provide technical and substantive backing to the Facilitation, as mandated by Security Council Resolution 2279 (2016),” the statement said.

Previous talks in Burundi and Uganda over the past year failed.