The president of the transitional government in Burundi, Domitien Ndayizeye, and representatives of three of the country’s main political parties will be in South Africa this weekend to discuss power-sharing arrangements.
In a parallel event starting on Monday, women of South Africa — led by First Lady Zanele Mbeki — will be holding talks with Burundi women to discuss peace and the role of women in underpinning it.
The political leaders will be here on invitation of South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma who is the facilitator of the Burundi peace process.
The three political parties are, according to the South African Department of Foreign Affairs, Uprona, Frodebu and CNDD-FDD. The delegation will be in South African from July 17 to 19.
According to foreign affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa, Ndayizeye’s delegation will include External Relations and Cooperation Minister Therence Singunguruza, Mobilisation for Peace and National Reconciliation Minister Antoine Butoyi and Justice Minister Didace Kiganahe.
Frodebu will be led by Dr Jean Minani (president of the National Assembly), Uprona by Jean Baptiste Manwangari (senator) and CNDD-FDD by Pierre Nkurunziza.
The consultations between the political parties are expected to focus on the issue of power-sharing arrangements raised with Zuma during his visit to Bujumbura on June 17 and 18.
Meanwhile, the South African government communication agency has reported that South African Women in Dialogue (Sawid) is holding a peace dialogue between South African women and women of Burundi from Monday to Friday next week at Esselenpark in Johannesburg.
Sawid is an initiative of Zanele Mbeki to foster peace and stability on the African continent.
Spokesperson Sputnik Ratau said the Burundi/Sawid dialogue is designed to ensure that women claim their rightful place in the post-conflict management and reconstruction of the Burundi and the Great Lakes region.
“This is not intended to replicate the ongoing political processes, but rather to bolster and support these processes by facilitating the inclusion of women in the management of peace and stability in the region.”
The Burundi/Sawid dialogue also includes a two-day, facilitated Learning to Lead team-building workshop. The South African women’s delegation will participate in this process during the first three days.
The objectives of the South African women are to exchange strategies regarding women’s integration in political parties; to share experiences across the political spectrum about how South African women achieved a common women’s agenda during the democratisation process; and to build solidarity among African women. — I-Net Bridge