On Friday, February 11, 2022, the Government of Burundi and the United States Government, represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), signed a bilateral five-year Agreement to support Burundi’s development efforts.  The Agreement, called a Development Objective Grant Agreement (DOAG), was signed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by USAID/Burundi Mission Director Jonathan Kamin and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Minister Albert Shingiro.  Minister Shingiro presided over the DOAG signing ceremony, and the ceremony was attended by the U.S. Ambassador to Burundi Melanie Higgins.

The Agreement represents the collaboration and partnership between USAID and the Government of Burundi to address common priorities and promote continued progress and reform.  The activities under this agreement will be implemented by grants and contracts awarded to international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and private sector partners.  USAID intends to continue increasing the number of Burundian organizations receiving direct funds to implement assistance activities.

Under this Agreement, USAID will work to strengthen its support to improve the health and food security of the people of Burundi.  Namely, resources will support efforts to combat COVID-19 and programming under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief focused on the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in some of the most vulnerable areas of the country.  The assistance also includes support to promote improved nutrition, especially for expectant mothers and children.  USAID intends to expand collaboration with the private sector to improve access to job opportunities for youth, women, and others who have struggled to provide for themselves and their families.  

The Agreement will foster additional technical assistance activities to combat trafficking in persons, increase protections for human rights, and help ensure all Burundians are treated fairly and justly, whatever their political, religious, or ethnic affiliation may be.

Speaking about the Agreement, USAID Mission Director Jonathan Kamin said, “This agreement reflects the United States’ continued commitment to support Burundi’s efforts to fight corruption; increase the space for open political dialogue and the freedom of the press; and promote the engagement of civil society organizations and the Burundian people with the government. Through close collaboration with the Government of Burundi, we can ensure that USAID’s development assistance will support the people of Burundi in their aspirations for the future and work to meet our two countries’ mutual vision for a Burundi which provides opportunity and prosperity for a full and open Burundi.”

Photo caption: From left to right, the people in the photo are USAID/Rwanda and Burundi Mission Director Jonathan Kamin, US Ambassador to Burundi Melanie Higgins, and Burundian Minister of Foreign Affairs Albert Shingiro.

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USAID and Government of Burundi Sign Development Objective Grant Agreement to Support Development Efforts in Burundi
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