A farmer in Burundi
Belgium is to assist the Burundi government in developing the agricultural sector and ensuring food security for its people to the tune of 5 million euros over the next five years.
The financial support of the former colonial power is mainly aimed at increasing agricultural production and improving access to social services, according to information received from the Belgian embassy in Bujumbura.
Under the financing program, the problems of the land disputes, the development of marshy areas, the introduction of farmers' association, education, and the provision of potable water will be taken care of. More than 80 percent of the court cases in Burundi are said to be linked to land conflicts.
In another development, Belgium will increase its financial aid to Mali, with the submission of over 4.5 billion CFA francs. Belgium also promised to participate in co-financing with the European Union to the tune of one billion CFA francs, in the socio-economic development, through the regional assemblies of Kigali, Gao, and Timbuktu.
For over two decades, Belgium's development aid to Mali has gone from a mere governmental co-operation program of 16. billion CFA francs, for the period 1993 to 1998, to 32.4 billion CFA francs between the year 2009 to 2012.