Burundi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Albert Shingiro on Tuesday officially declared that the border between the East African nation and neighbouring Rwanda had been reopened.
Burundi’s Interior Ministry Saturday announced it had opened all its borders with neighbours saying “Burundi is now accessible”.
The border between Burundi and Rwanda had been closed initially in 2015 due to a diplomatic row before health restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic extended the closure.
Burundi has been demanding that suspects accused of plotting a coup to oust former President Pierre Nkurunziza in 2015, and who currently live in exile in Rwanda, be handed over as a condition for normalizing relations.
Shingiro, who addressed journalists during a press conference, reaffirmed Burundi’s position that Kigali should hand over persons Burundi accused of plotting to oust former President Pierre Nkurunziza in 2015.
Rwanda, however, had reopened its border with Burundi several months ago.
