African leaders in Burundi to push for talks to end crisis

A delegation of five African heads of state arrived in Bujumbura on Thursday at the start of a two-day visit to push for talks to end Burundi’s deep political crisis. The visit comes just days after a trip by UN chief Ban Ki-moon to Burundi as part of growing international efforts to bring an end […]

A delegation of five African heads of state arrived in Bujumbura on Thursday at the start of a two-day visit to push for talks to end Burundi’s deep political crisis.
The visit comes just days after a trip by UN chief Ban Ki-moon to Burundi as part of growing international efforts to bring an end to 10 months of deadly turmoil in the central African country. The African Union agreed to send the delegation — which is headed by South African President Jacob Zuma and includes the leaders of Ethiopia, Gabon, Mauritania and Senegal — during its January summit when Burundi successfully faced down a plan to deploy 5,000 peacekeepers to the country.
Ban, on his first visit since the crisis erupted, met President Pierre Nkurunziza on Tuesday and said he had won a guarantee that “inclusive dialogue” would begin between the government and its opponents.
But the main umbrella opposition group CNARED, whose leaders are in exile, dismissed it as a “false opening”, saying Nkurunziza did not want real negotiations to bring peace.