BURUNDI: UN mission opens regional office in Gitega

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

BUJUMBURA, 13 Aug 2004 (IRIN) - The first regional office of the UN Operation in Burundi, known by its French acronym ONUB, opened on Wednesday in the central province of Gitega. The head of ONUB and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to Burundi Carolyn McAskie presided over the opening ceremony.

McAskie said that ONUB is helping to ensure that the country moves beyond the current transitional phase to have lasting peace and democracy.

The visit was the first she had made into the Burundian countryside since June when she took office and ONUB became operational. The UN mission took over from an African Union-led mission.

During her visit, McAskie held talks with local administrative and military officials in the province about the country's peace process. She also visited a battalion of the Ethiopian contingent of ONUB and internally displaced persons (IDPs) at Mashitsi, in the commune of Gitega. Some 107 Tutsi families, or 525 people, live in the camp.

McAskie expressed hope that consensus will be reached among all the country's political parties by 18 August, when a regional summit on Burundi is expected to take place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Ten of Burundi's parties have rejected the latest power-sharing agreement, a move that could delay the end of the transitional period current set for 31 October. McAskie said ONUB was in constant touch with the leaders of the parties in a bid to resolve the issue.

[ENDS]