An African Union delegation was in Burundi on Thursday to press the government to launch an unconditional dialogue with the opposition in an attempt to end 10 months of bloodshed. The delegation comprising leaders of South Africa, Senegal, Mauritania, Gabon and Ethiopia were to meet President Pierre Nkurunziza to discuss “the best way to solve…
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An African Union delegation was in Burundi on Thursday to press the government to launch an unconditional dialogue with the opposition in an attempt to end 10 months of bloodshed.
The delegation comprising leaders of South Africa, Senegal, Mauritania, Gabon and Ethiopia were to meet President Pierre Nkurunziza to discuss “the best way to solve Burundi’s crisis,” government spokesman Philippe Nzobonariba said.
The delegation is to meet with “the highest authorities of the Republic of Burundi, as well as with other Burundian stakeholders, to hold consultations on the inclusive inter-Burundian dialogue.
The AU delegation was expected to focus on the need for the government to negotiate with the opposition in exile, to make police officers accountable for killings of suspected government opponents and for the armed opposition to renounce violence.
According to the report, Nkurunziza has refused to talk to CNARED, a coalition of opposition movements in exile, which it accused of involvement in a coup attempt that was thwarted in May.
The visit follows that of UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, to whom Nkurunziza promised to release 1,200 political prisoners earlier this week.
But the president had insisted he would not talk to “terrorists”.
Burundi has been in the grip of violence since Nkurunziza announced in April that he would seek a third term in office, despite the constitutional two-term limit. He won an election boycotted by the opposition in July. (dpa/NAN)
The post African Union Delegation Attempts To Stop Violence In Burundi appeared first on Nigerian News from Leadership News.