The work of the 51st Ministerial meeting of the United Nations Permanent Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa was held on May 28, 2021.
In his opening speech, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, HE Ambassador Albert SHINGIRO indicated that it is within the framework of the continuity of the mission devolved to the Permanent Advisory Committee in charge of security questions in Africa (UNSAC in acronym) set up by the Secretary General of the United Nations in accordance with Resolution 46 / 37B adopted on 6/12/1991 by the General Assembly of the United Nations, following the request formulated by the respective Member States that the meeting is held in Bujumbura for the 3rd time after the ministerial meetings of the Committee in 2012 and 2014.
He indicated that the theme chosen for this meeting is entitled: the management of electoral processes in the area of ​​the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).
HE Ambassador Albert SHINGIRO, explained that the choice of this theme was not the result of chance for the good and simple reason that in recent decades, democratic elections have become the norm in many African countries in general and in those of the sub-region in particular. He indicated that the choice of the said theme was dictated by the imperative to subscribe to the spirit and the letter of the Declaration of Malabo, of December 4, 2020 on democratic and peaceful elections as a means of strengthening stability and achieving the development objectives in Central Africa. He recalled that the successful elections help consolidate democracies and set the stage for the prospect of economic development in Central Africa.
With regard to Burundi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, HE Ambassador Albert SHINGIRO indicated that the constitution of June 7, 2018 devotes a whole title to the elections, the related provisions of which guarantee the right to vote, free, transparent and fair elections, the practical details of which have been defined in the electoral code. This same constitution provides the establishment of an independent National Electoral Commission which must guarantee the freedom, impartiality and independence of the electoral process.
He said that in Burundi, the electoral process which is one of the expressions of Democracy in democratic systems is gradually consolidating, and democratic culture is becoming more and more a reality.
After the overview of the general and specific considerations on the choice of the theme of the 51st Ministerial meeting by HE Albert SHINGIRO, various speeches by different Representatives of countries and International Organizations followed and the meeting continued behind closed doors.
