On 8 January 2026, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation of the Republic of Burundi, H.E. Ambassador Édouard Bizimana, received the Ambassador of Canada to Burundi, with residence in Kigali, H.E. Julie Crowley, for a courtesy audience.
IDRC
Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation between Burundi and Canada. Ambassador Julie Crowley indicated that her visit was part of an invitation from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), a Canadian-funded institution, reflecting Canada’s continued engagement in development and research cooperation with Burundi.
During the meeting, Ambassador Crowley announced the recent appointment of an Honorary Consul of Canada in Bujumbura and welcomed the reopening of the Embassy of Burundi in Canada. Both developments were highlighted as strong signals of the consolidation and revitalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries. sunt, explicabo..
The two sides also exchanged views on the security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Ambassador Crowley expressed her interest in being updated on the evolving situation. Minister Édouard Bizimana noted that the situation continues to deteriorate, with the M23 movement, supported by the Rwandan army, continuing to seize towns and villages, resulting in a massive influx of refugees. He warned that unless the international community takes this crisis seriously, the risk of destabilization across the entire region remains high.
Finally, in response to questions regarding preparations for Burundi’s forthcoming Chairmanship of the African Union, Minister Édouard Bizimana reassured that preparations are underway and progressing satisfactorily.
