Security Council meeting 5686

The President

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations.

Members of the Council have before them document S/2007/287, which contains the first report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi. I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council also to document S/2007/92, containing a letter dated 13 February 2007 from the Permanent Representative of France, transmitting the conclusions of the Security Council Working Group on children and armed conflict with respect to the report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in Burundi (S/2006/851 and Corr.1).

Following consultations among the members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council.

“The Security Council welcomes the recent political developments in Burundi whereby the Government has taken a number of corrective steps aimed at promoting dialogue, national reconciliation and social harmony. It also takes note with appreciation of the measures taken to improve economic governance and the transparency and accountability of public institutions. It encourages the authorities to remain committed to pursuing these measures and to completing the reforms agreed upon in the agreements reached in Arusha in 2000, in Pretoria in 2003 and in Dar-es-Salaam in 2006, and calls on all Burundian political stakeholders to maintain the spirit of dialogue, consensus-building and inclusiveness, including in addressing the issue of power-sharing in an equitable manner, that enabled them to achieve a successful transition in their country.

“The Security Council welcomes the establishment of the United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB) and the support it provides to the peace consolidation process.

“The Security Council commends the efforts undertaken by the African Union Special Task Force and the South African Facilitation, in support of the Dar-es-Salaam Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement of 7 September 2006. The Security Council calls on both parties to pursue their efforts to resolve outstanding issues in a spirit of cooperation. It welcomes the resumption of the work of the Joint Verification Monitoring Mechanism (JMMV) on 28 May 2007 in order to address and remove the obstacles in the implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement. It encourages in particular the Government of Burundi to remain committed to finding a political solution to the current deadlock, and urges the Forces Nationales de Libération (Palipehutu-FNL) to fulfil expeditiously their obligations under the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement. It also invites BINUB and the African Union to continue to support these efforts.

“The Security Council urges the Government to intensify its efforts on all aspects of reform of the security sector and to address the issue of human rights abuses committed by members of the security services, including by bringing perpetrators to justice, and encourages international partners, including BINUB in accordance with its mandate, to increase their support for this endeavour.

“The Security Council urges the Government to step up its efforts to combat impunity and to promote and protect human rights, paying in this context particular attention to reducing the high level of gender-based violence and of violence against children. It encourages the Secretary-General and the Burundian authorities to pursue their dialogue with a view to agreeing on the establishment of a transitional justice mechanism based on the highest standards of justice and international human rights.

“The Security Council recalls the conclusions of its Working Group on children and armed conflict pertaining to parties in the situation of armed conflict in Burundi (S/2007/92), and calls upon the Government of Burundi and all parties, as well as United Nations agencies and donor Governments, to cooperate with the Working Group with a view to following up on those conclusions.

“The Security Council welcomes the briefing by the Chair of the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission on its activities relating to Burundi and, in this context, encourages the Government of Burundi and BINUB to work closely with all stakeholders in order to devise a sound strategic framework to foster the commitment of the Government of Burundi and all its partners to the priorities for consolidating peace in Burundi. The Security Council stresses the need to ensure broad national ownership of the Strategic Framework, and looks forward to receiving further advice on Burundi from the Peacebuilding Commission, particularly on those issues covered by the Strategic Framework. It welcomes the outcome of the round table convened by the Government with the support of the United Nations on 24 and 25 May in Bujumbura and urges donors to disburse the funds pledged at this occasion.

“The Security Council welcomes the revival of the Economic Community of the Countries of the Great Lakes Region (CEPGL), the Great Lakes Conference process and the upcoming formal accession of Burundi to the East African Community. It also welcomes the Government’s commitment to the ratification of the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region at the next parliamentary session. It encourages Burundi and all countries in the region to sustain their efforts to foster peace, stability and mutually beneficial development.”

This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2007/16.

The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on the agenda.