Burundi

A country facing huge challenges

Burundi is one of the smallest and most densely populated countries in Africa with approx. 10 million inhabitants. Despite efforts made since 2005 on transitioning towards becoming a democracy, the country is still scarred by the civil war which raged from 1993 to 2005 and ranks among the world's most impoverished nations. The population is increasing rapidly, and consequently an ever increasing number of people need drinking water, sanitation, electricity, roads, schools and hospitals, yet the state is not able to adequately meet this demand for social infrastructure.

In response to political developments in Burundi since summer 2015, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development has suspended all bilateral activities involving cooperation with the Burundian Government. Activities that directly benefit the local population and which serve their basic needs are continued.