Ties between Rwanda and neighbouring Burundi which have long been strained “are gradually on the mend”, according to placatory statements issuing from their respective capitals, APA learnt on Monday.
The two countries condemned to live together as neighbours by geography have been at dagger’s drawn for the past six years with Burundi aggrieved over Rwanda playing host to its subversives.
Relations usually testy when late president Pierre Nkurunziza made it a policy to chase down dissidents of his regime but found Rwanda apparently unwilling to cooperate over handing over some of them seeking refuge in its territory.
However with new president Evariste Ndayishimiye in charge, Burundi’s foreign policy beginning with its immediate neighbour has seen something of a slow but gradual shift from confrontation to a new orientation where negotiation is the byword.
When Burundi’s Foreign Affairs minister, Albert Shingiro came out with the disclosure that relations between Kigali and Bujumbura have taken an upward trajectory, local media seized on it, praising it as breath of fresh air.
The top Burundian diplomat made the remarks while addressing a meeting with members of the diplomatic corp representing their countries in Burundi earlier last week.
During the meeting that was centred on Burundi’s new foreign relations, the minister singled out Rwanda for special mention.
He said despite persistent misunderstandings ties have taken a new turn for the better and both countries are “determined not to go back to the bad old days of the past”.
“Neighbours can be good or bad but for us, we have no bad neighbor” he was quoted as saying.
However, Shingiro threw a seemingly innocuous challenge to Rwanda.
He said Kigali has a task to hand over subversives who attempted to oust late president Nkurunziza in 2015 in a failed coup that claimed some 100 lives in Burundi.
The unrest triggered an exodus of Burundians away from their country, sending over 217,000 of them into exile.
“What is left is to extradite the suspects who tried to topple Burundi’s leadership who are on Rwandan soil otherwise other steps have been taken,” Minister Shingiro said.
Burundi has been accusing Rwanda of harboring the senior military renegades.
Relations between Kigali and Bujumbura appear to be on the mend since Rwandan Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente, attended last July Burundi’s 59th Independence Day celebrations.
It was the first visit by a senior Rwandan government official in Burundi in six years.
While in Bujumbura, Ngirente reportedly “made all the right noise” about Rwanda and Burundi turning a fresh new page in their relations where they will bury their mutual suspicion and difference and live together as friendly neighbours.
It is a few years since the political crisis that erupted in Burundi over Nkurunziza’s controversial third term saw relations with Rwanda fall to the lowest of possible lows.
“There should be no looking back now that they are turning a corner” said one observer.
CU/as/APA