Pope Francis and President of Burundi Engage on Country’s Contribution to Church Growth

The Papal documents included, “Message for the World Peace Day 2022,” “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together,” and the Vatican Publishing House book featuring the “Statio Orbis of 27 March 2020.”

President Ndayishimiye reportedly gave Pope Francis traditional musical instruments of Burundi, and a certificate confirming contributions towards the building of a church in the landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley where the African Great Lakes region and East Africa converge.

The meeting between the Holy Father and the Burundian President comes amid reports of growing stability in the African country that experienced a political turmoil in 2015.

Since his inauguration in 2020, President Ndayishimiye has reportedly introduced a raft of foreign and domestic policy reforms to salvage Burundi’s international reputation and restore economic partnerships. 

The President’s efforts are said to have started to pay off, with the European Union (EU) announcing on February 8 that it will be lifting the sanctions it placed on Burundi in 2016.

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The international community sanctioned Burundi after Pierre Nkurunziza’s 2015 third presidential term bid triggered a violent political crisis.

This escalated into street demonstrations, a failed coup, and armed attacks on military garrisons that displaced over 300,000 people by 2018.

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.