Deputy President Zuma is the chief mediator in the Burundi conflict in which the country is still recovering from a decade long civil war that has claimed over 300 000 lives and displaced millions of citizens.
Zuma's spokesperson Lakela Kaunda said the Burundian parliamentary speaker and the Deputy President exchanged views on the Burundi peace process, discussed progress made regarding the implementation of the Arusha Agreement of 2000 and related agreements.
"Minani noted that while progress was being made, the pace was not as rapid as desired, including, for example, the fact that legislation related to the forthcoming November elections had still not been concluded," she said.
She added that Minani also raised the issue of financial resources needed by Burundi to move the peace process forward.
South Africa has been directly involved in efforts to broker a peace settlement in the strife-torn country, subsequently providing a peacekeeping force that secured returned exiles.
Recently, government has been making repeated calls for the United Nations Peace and Security (UNPS) to assume the responsibility of the peacekeeping mission, thus rendering it more powerful.
Furthermore, Minani also informed the Deputy President of Burundi's interest in the position of deputy speaker of the Pan-African Parliament, and asked for South Africa's support in this regard, said Kaunda.
South Africa is vying to host the Pan African Parliament upon its establishment. –BuaNews.
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