The South African Government commends the suspension of sanctions imposed by the countries of the Great Lakes Region on Burundi.
This decision was taken by the Heads of State and Ministers at the Seventh Regional Summit on the conflict on Burundi held at Arusha on 23 January 1999.
Countries represented at the Summit were Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The South African Government believes that the suspension of these sanctions, subject to review, will give further impetus to the Burundi Peace Negotiations under the facilitation of Mwalimu Julius K Nyerere.
South Africa is fully supportive of the Arusha Initiative on the Burundian Peace Process.
South Africa is confident that lasting peace, democracy and security can be achieved if the Burundi negotiate a peaceful settlement of their country's problems.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 26 JANUARY 1999