Stimulating equitable economic enterprise and development

Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world. If peace is to be sustained, the political and economic exclusion that lies at the heart of the conflict must be redressed. In the short-term this means an urgent need for job creation and economic development. In the longer-term it means addressing the control of economic instruments by the elite.

The understandable focus on reaching a political solution has left Burundi without the long-term economic vision needed to repair social and ethnic disparities. The peace process remains heavily focused on high-level political negotiations and it has yet to address the disconnection between powerful, rich (urban) elites and marginalised poor (rural) communities.

Alert’s analysis is that sustainable peace in Burundi requires reform of the country’s economic structures. The continuing perception of the state as sole provider of employment and advancement has blinded many to the opportunities offered by the growth of a private sector, and to the necessity for reform of the country’s economic institutions. Alert has entered into a partnership with the Burundi Enterprise Network (BEN, a private business association) to help encourage debate on the future economic development in the country.

The first Alert funded report by BEN was on the possibilities for job creation in Burundi, a key factor for lasting peace. BEN arranged a public debate around this report, attended by citizens, government officials, representatives of donor agencies and other international organisations, and business people. With Alert's support, BEN continues to promote this issue as well as commissioning research into other aspects of the private sector such as banking and interest rates, and the issue of energy supply.

This is one of BEN's recent newsletters:

Economic issues are not often covered by the media in Burundi and therefore there is little popular awareness of their importance. In 2006 Alert funded the training of journalists from six local radio stations in broadcasting on economic issues. Subsequently each station will broadcast a monthly programme to raising awareness of key economic issues and stimulate popular debate of these issues.

By far the most economically important industry in Burundi is coffee, which accounts for 80 percent of foreign exchange earnings, and is currently in the process of being privatised. Historically all levels of coffee production have been tightly controlled by the political elite, as a means of enriching themselves and financing the army. Producers, who were often forced to grow coffee in place of subsistence crops, have not been involved in decision making. Alert believes that the coffee sector must be reformed in a way that addresses historic negative dynamics within the sector and encourages active participation of coffee growers in decision making, so as to increase chances of equitable economic development and sustainable peace.
 
Firstly Alert is working in conjunction with a local radio station and a local development organisation that accompanies coffee growers (INADES) to produce weekly radio programmes in Kirundi to inform producers of developments in the sector, stimulate public debate of the issues and allow coffee growers to express their concerns.
 
Secondly Alert is providing leadership and negotiation skills training to coffee association leaders and to INADES, so as to enhance their capacity to involve growers in governance of the coffee industry.

For more information, contact Sylvie Pereira

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Last updated: October 2006