Burundi in Depth

Geography

Often called “the heart of Africa,” Burundi covers an area of 27,834 square kilometers and lies between 2º30’ and 4º30’ latitude South and between 28º50’ and 30º53’30’ longitude East. Bounded to the North by Rwanda, to the West by Democratic Republic of Congo, and to the East and South by Tanzania, Burundi is part of East-Central Africa. It is part of the region of great lakes and rift valleys, which extends through Central Africa from the Red Sea to Lake Malawi through Ethiopia.

Burundi is a landlocked country

Topography

Burundi has four topographical zones:

• The Rusizi plain, where the climate is tropical
• The Congo-Nile Ridge, where the climate is mild and temperate; this area includes the great secondary forest of Kibira
• The central plateau, featuring rolling hills
• The depressions of the East and North-East, featuring tree-dotted savanna

Climate

Hydrology

The originality of Burundi’s hydrography lies in the role played by the Congo Nile Ridge in the division of the catchment basins.There are two basins: The basin of the River Congo, comprising all the rivers to the West of the ridge and the Kumoso, a tributary of the Maragarazi river.The Nile basin, comprising all the tributaries of the Ruvubu and the Kanyaru. With this basin, Burundi can claim to possess the Southernmost source of the Nile river, located near Rutovu commune, where a pyramid was erected in 1938. In addition to Lake Tanganika, there are many inland lakes commonly known as the “bird lakes” in the North-East of the country; among them are lakes Rwihinda, Cohoha, Rweru and Kanzigiri.

History

Historical Background in Brief

1500: Even before the fifteenth century, Burundi was an organized nation, a kingdom with sound political structures and a social organization of its own, since then, the country was ruled by a line of seventeen Kings of four dynasties of Ntare, Mwezi, Mutaga and Mwambutsa.

1890: The German colony was given the official title of “German East African Protectorate (including Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanganyika territory in 1899)

1903: King Mwezi gisabo accepted the German Protectorate by the Treaty of Kiganda

1919: After the 1st world war, Burundi was declared “Occupied territory and placed under the authority of Belgium by the League of Nations

1958: Prince Rwagasore, eldest son of the MWAMI founded the Party of National Unity and Progress (UPRONA)

September 18, 1961: The elections by universal outrage put Prince Louis Rwagasore in Power as Prime Minister

October 13, 1961: Assassination of Prince Louis Rwagasore

July 1st, 1962: Burundi achieved its independence

November 28, 1966: Burundi became a Republic

April 29, 1972: A Hutu revolt, in which many innocent Tutsi were killed, was followed by systematic counter-violence which quickly became a repression aimed at the physical liquidation of educated and semi-educated Hutu.

November 1st, 1976: Colonel Jean Baptiste BAGAZA took power and proclaimed the second Republic.

September 3rd, 1987: Major Pierre BUYOYA took charge with army backing and proclaimed the 3rd Republic.

August 1987: In so-called “Ntega-Marangara events” an outbreak of ethnic conflict in the northern localities of Ntega and Marangara resulted in the killings of several hundred people.

Following the uprising, a military intervention responded to the killings by using force to restore order, to stop the widespread of violence over the country and to limit the outflanking movement.

October 4th, 1988: President BUYOYA charged a national commission with studying the question of National Unity.

February 6, 1991: The Charter of National Unity was ratified in referendum.

March 9, 1992: A new constitution legalizing a plural political system in Burundi was ratified in a national referendum.

June 1st, 1993: Presidential elections won by Sahwanya-Frodebu political party of Melchior NDADAYE.

June 29, 1993: Legislative elections won by Sahwanya-Frodebu (Democratic Front of Burundi).

July 10, 1993: Melchior NDADAYE was sworn in as a Burundi’s first democratically elected President.

October 21, 1993: Assassination of President Melchior NDADAYE. The country went through serious crisis with the beginning of the systematic massacres between Hutu and Tutsi factions. Since then, many people from both sides have died.

January 22, 1994: Inauguration of President Cyprien NTARYAMIRA.

April 6, 1994: President Cyprien NTARYAMIRA was killed in plane crash together with President Juvenal Habyalimana of Rwanda.

November 1st, 1994: The “Convention of Government” (Convention de Gouvernement) signed by 13 political parties on 10th September 1994 put in power President Sylvestre NTIBANTUNGANYA from Frodebu with a Prime Minister from UPRONA.

July 25, 1996: As a result of failure of Convention institutions, Major Pierre BUYOYA took again control in coup d’Etat.

August 28, 2000: The peace initiative undertaken by former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere in March 1996 led to signing of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement, with transitional power-sharing arrangement between Pierre BUYOYA’s UPRONA and FRODEBU. The 23 July 2002 Regional Summit named Major Pierre BUYOYA as leader of the first transition government.

April 30, 2003, President Domitien NDAYIZEYE was sworn in as President for the second half of the three-year transitional government inaugurated on 1st November 2001.

October 8, 2003: The transitional Government and the national Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), signed the Pretoria Protocol on Political Defense and Security Power sharing. They reaffirm their commitment to the ceasefire agreement between the parties signed in Arusha on 2nd December 2002 as well as the joint Declaration of Agreement addressing the practical implementation of the December 2002 cease fire Agreement, signed in Pretoria on 27 January 2003.

November 23, 2003: The CNDD-FDD is part of the Executive with four ministries including a Minister of State.

Administrative Division

Burundi is divided into 16 provinces including Bujumbura City and 116 communes. Each province is administrated by a Governor and each commune by an Administrator. It should be noted that Bujumbura City is administrated by a Mayor.

Population

The population of Burundi is currently estimated at around 6,9 million in 2001. It has the highest population density of all Africa-150 inhabitants per square kilometer. The population is however spread very unevenly: the central plateau and the highlands are the most heavily populated and here the density is 295 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Population statistics (2001 estimation)

The cultural and linguistic uniformity of the country is one of the most striking features. Kirundi, the national language, is spoken by everyone, while French is the second language and the one generally used by government services.

Ethnic groups

Unlike real ethnic groups, Burundians have spoken one and the same unique language-Kirundi for a long time. They share the same values and live in the same villages. They all live on agriculture combined with livestock. There is no historical or identity reference which distinguishes them. Nevertheless, the Twa are not well integrated into the social order.

Despite the cultural, territorial and administrative unity of the Burundian people, their recent history has been characterized by tribal wars between communities, the height of which was reached in 1972 and 1993. But, one should not be mistaken because the great majority of the population (all the communities together) continue to live together as before on the same hills, they go to church, school, markets, bars and fetch water from the same springs.

Art and Culture

A. Language

Situated in the heart of Africa, Burundi is one of the very few African countries possessing linguistic homogeneity. Its people all speak the same national language, Kirundi, the medium of expression of Burundi’s centuries-old cultural heritage. French is the first foreign language, which became an administrative language. English is progressively getting important because of the opening of the country to the business world and the international market. Swahili, a trade language above all, is spoken in the cities and along Tanganika Lake.

B. Poetry and Popular Songs

The culture of Burundi is based mainly on song, poetry, the dance, stories and legends. Poetry is recited at late-night social gatherings; it is centered mostly around pastoral themes. Rich and varied popular songs are rendered at family and communal fêtes and festivals, and are sung during work in the fields.

The shepherds have their own pastoral songs which they sing at the end of the day when leading the animals back from the pastures; and in the home the elders tell the young generation stories and legends relating the life of their ancestors.

C. Arts and handicrafts

The art of Burundi is extremely varied. It is characterized by decorative motifs and geometrical patterns in which the artist’s initial inspiration predominates. This highly stylized art possesses a harmony derived from asymmetry and contrasts that do not clash. It finds expression in wrought iron, wickerwork, pottery, sculpture and bas-reliefs.

Gitega, in the centre, has its traditional dancers, named "Batimbo," who perform to the accompaniment of tambourines. These performers have already taken part in international festivals in Washington, Montreal, Berlin, Algiers, Dakar, Munich, Rennes, Tokyo and elsewhere, and have been enthusiastically acclaimed.

Burundi Democratic Process

The general election by universal election held in June 1993 resulted in victory of the Democratic Front party of Burundi (FRODEBU). Unfortunately, the Burundi first democratically elected president Melchior NDADAYE was assassinated in October 1993 after only four months in office. Since then, some Burundians have perished in widespread, often intense ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. Hundreds of thousands have been internally displaced or have become refugees in neighboring countries.

Burundi Peace Process Negotiations took place for four years in Arusha, Tanzania and Pretoria, South Africa, between all the Burundi parties and political movements in an effort to put an end to violence and find a new peace formula for all. The peace initiative led to signing of the Arusha Peace and reconciliation agreement on 28 of August 2000 which designed a transitional power sharing arrangement between the signatories to this agreement.

The negotians between the transitional government of Burundi and the National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for Defense of Democracy (CNND-FDD) have resulted to the signing the Pretoria Protocol on Political, Defence and Security Power Sharing in Burundi on October 8, 2003.

Burundi was ruled since the beginning of the internal peace process in 1998 by an internal partnership for peace made up of two transitional institutions: the Government and the National Assembly. This partnership was in fact a Government of national coalition.

The Chief of State and Head of Government, President Domitien Ndayizeye (FRODEBU) sworn in as President for the second half of the three-year transition government (April 30, 2003 - August 19, 2005). He had a Vice-President, Mr. Alphonse Kadege (UPRONA), from a party and a social group different from those of the President of the Republic.

Burundi Education System

Institution Types & Credentials

Higher Education Credentials:

Structure of Education System

School Education

Main laws/decrees governing higher education

University level studies

A further two year-study beyond the Candidature leads to the Licence. In Medicine, the professional title of Docteur en Médecine is awarded after a further four years of study following the Candidature. In Civil and Agronomic Engineering, courses last for five years and lead to the award of the professional title of Ingénieur. The Diplôme d'Ingénieur Technicien is conferred after three or four years' training in the technical institutes.

A Diplôme d'Etudes approfondies is conferred in subjects such as Computing, Physics and Agricultural Planning following the Licence or the Diplôme d'Ingénieur. In Medicine, there are two stages which lead to a professional Doctorat in Medicine after six years and a Special Doctorat after five more years of study and the presentation of a major thesis in Clinical Biology, Paediatrics, Surgery, Gynaecology and Internal Medicine. The University also awards a Doctorat de 3ème Cycle.

Teacher Education

Primary school teachers are trained in "lycées pédagogiques" which offer studies divided into two cycles of two years each. In-service training of primary teachers is a regular activity of the Office for Rural Education (BER), a curriculum development agency.

Secondary school teachers are trained at the University of Burundi from which they graduate after four years in the various specialities. Some teachers specifically trained for secondary education, are also trained at the Pedagogical Institute for three to five years. They may also be trained in "Ecoles normales supérieures."

Non-traditional studies

Non-formal studies consist of in-service courses offered by the Institut supérieur de Gestion d'Entreprise for management professionals. There are two levels of training: short cycle training for holders of the Diplôme d'Etat and long cycle training for holders of degrees in economics or their equivalent. Evening courses are also organized in computer sciences.

National Bodies

Admissions to Higher Education

Foreign students admission

• Foreign students must have followed seven years of general education (High school diploma) or hold a technician diploma
• They must hold a visa and a residence permit
• They must have a good knowledge of French language
  
• They must apply to the national body for entry to the University through the National Commission of Orientation to Higher Education at following address:

PO Box 1990
Bujumbura, Burundi
Tel: 257(22) 4407
Fax: 257(22) 8477

Recognition of Studies & Qualifications

For access to university level studies: The holder of a foreign credential must submit to the "Commission d'Equivalence des Titres et Diplômes universitaires" the following data: curriculum vitae/resume specifying the duration of the training abroad; total number of hours of all the training modules; contents of training programmes; methods of assessment, and certified copy of the original credential.

Student Life

Grading System

• 90-100%: Excellent
• 80-89%: La plus grande distinction
• 70-79%: Grande distinction
• 60-69%: Distinction
• 50-59%: Satisfaction
• below : 50% fail

• 90-100%: Excellent
• 80-89%: La plus grande distinction
• 70-79%: Grande distinction
• 60-69%: Distinction
• 50-59%: Satisfaction
• below : 50% fail