26 June 2000

Bonn, Germany: UN Volunteers are resuming a range of development activities in Burundi as mediators boost efforts to broker peace in the strife-torn central African country.

By the end of the month, about 50 UN Volunteers will have taken up assignments in the country. Thirty-seven of these are Burundi nationals who will work in such areas as conflict resolution in civil society, peace education, community development, health, information and networking.

Together with international UN Volunteers, the national UNVs will support the efforts of communities and the Ministry of Environment and Land Use to help slow the degradation of natural resources and carry out public education campaigns.

The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) had more than 60 UN Volunteers in the country until November 1999. Following the assassination of two UN staff members on 11 November at a refugee camp in Burundi's southern Rutana Province, UN agencies scaled back their activities. Fifteen international UN Volunteers working in community development initiatives were subsequently evacuated.

However, one UNV doctor and nine other UN Volunteers working in humanitarian relief activities remained in the country and 46 national UNVs were concentrated in the capital Bujumbura over the past several months. Ten national UN Volunteers attached to a UNV-funded project executed by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) were able to continue their work in conflict resolution and prevention. They produced training material to inform the population on human rights issues and to support non-governmental organizations already engaged in this field.

The security situation in the country improved somewhat in late April, paving the way for the resumption of development activities on behalf of Burundi's estimated 5.7 million people.

UNV is planning to expand its activities in the country to include new work in support of disadvantaged youth and persons living with HIV/AIDS.