In November 1995, the presidents of Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zaire announced a regional initiative for a negotiated peace in Burundi facilitated by former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere. In July 1996, former Burundian President Buyoya returned to power in a bloodless coup. He declared himself president of a transitional republic, even as he suspended the National Assembly, banned opposition groups, and imposed a nationwide curfew. Widespread condemnation of the coup ensued, and regional countries imposed economic sanctions pending a return to a constitutional government. Buyoya agreed in 1996 to liberalize political parties. Nonetheless, fighting between the army and Hutu militias continued. In June 1998, Buyoya promulgated a transitional constitution and announced a partnership between the government and the opposition-led National Assembly. After facilitator Julius Nyerere's death in October 1999, the regional leaders appointed Nelson Mandela as Facilitator of the Arusha peace process. Under Mandela the peace process has revived and important progress has taken place. Julius Kambarage Nyerere (April 13, 1922 - October 14, 1999) was President of Tanzania, and previously Tanganyika, from the countrys founding until his retirement in 1985. ... Major Pierre Buyoya (b. ... Hutu is the name given to one of the three ethnic groups occupying Burundi and Rwanda. ... Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, OM, (born July 18, 1918) before becoming President of South Africa, was one of its chief anti-apartheid activists, and was also an anti-apartheid saboteur. ... A Facilitator is someone who skillfully helps a group to reach a consensus on a topic without themselves taking any side of the argument. ... Arusha is a city in northern Tanzania. ...

Principal Government Officials
President - see Presidents of Burundi
First Vice President of the National Assembly
Second Vice President of the National Assembly
Speaker of the National Assembly
Minister of Defense
Minister of External Relations and Cooperation
Minister of Internal Affairs and Security
Ambassador to the United Nations List of Rulers and Heads of State of Burundi (Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office) Kingdom of Burundi Republic of Burundi Affiliations:- See also:- Burundi Heads of Government of Burundi Colonial Heads of Burundi Colonial Heads of Burundi (Urundi) Colonial Heads of Burundi (Ruanda-Urundi) Lists of...

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Burundi
conventional short form: Burundi
local long form: Republika y'u Burundi
local short form: Burundi

Data code: BY

Government type: republic

Capital: Bujumbura Bujumbura, estimated population 300,000 (1994), is the capital of Burundi. ...

Administrative divisions: 15 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi
note: there may be a new province named Mwaro

Independence: 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration) July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1962 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962) July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ...

Constitution: 13 March 1992; provided for establishment of a plural political system; supplanted on 6 June 1998 by a Transitional Constitution which enlarged the National Assembly and created two vice presidents March 13 is the 72nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (73rd in leap years). ... 1992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... 1998 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ...

Legal system: based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: Universal adult; elections under transitional regime not yet held.

Executive branch:
chief of state: The President; see Presidents of Burundi.
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president List of Rulers and Heads of State of Burundi (Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office) Kingdom of Burundi Republic of Burundi Affiliations:- See also:- Burundi Heads of Government of Burundi Colonial Heads of Burundi Colonial Heads of Burundi (Urundi) Colonial Heads of Burundi (Ruanda-Urundi) Lists of...

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (121 seats; note - new Transitional Constitution expanded the number of seats from 81 to 121 in 1998; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve five-year terms)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders: Multi-party system introduced after 1998. FRODEBU (the Front for Democracy in Burundi, predominantly Hutu with some Tutsi membership)(Jean Minani, president) and UPRONA (the National Unity and Progress Party, predominantly Tutsi with some Hutu membership) (Luc Rukingama, president), are national, mainstream parties. Other Tutsi and Hutu opposition parties and groups include, among others, PARENA (the Party for National Redress, Tutsi), ABASA (the Burundi African Alliance for the Salvation, Tutsi), PRP (the People's Reconciliation Party, Tutsi), CNDD/FDD (the National Council for the Defense of Democracy/Front for the Defense of Democracy, now consisting of two groups, Hutu), PALIPEHUTU (the Party for the Liberation of the Hutu People, Hutu) and FROLINA/FAP (the Front for the National Liberation of Burundi/Popular Armed Forces, Hutu).
note: opposition parties, legalized in March 1992, include Burundi African Alliance for the Salvation or ABASA [leader NA]; Rally for Democracy and Economic and Social Development or RADDES [Cyrille SIGEJEJE, chairman]; Party for National Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]; Socialist Party of Burundi or PSB [leader NA]; People's Reconciliation Party or PRP [leader NA] The Front for the Democracy in Burundi (Front pour la Démocratie au Burundi, Frodebu) is a political party in Burundi. ... National Unity and Progress Party is the political party of Burundi. ...

Political pressure groups and leaders: Loosely organized Tutsi militias

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, CEPGL, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Flag description: The flag of Burundi is divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a white disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above, two stars below) Flag ratio: 2:3 The national flag of Burundi was adopted on June 28, 1967. ...

See also : Burundi