Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to strengthen the UK’s diplomatic mission in Bujumbura.

The British Embassy Office in Bujumbura represents the UK Government in Burundi. It is a subordinate Post to the British High Commission in Kigali. The Ambassador to Burundi, Omar Daair, and the team cover wide range of political, development, security and economic issues of interest to the UK and Burundi.

The UK is a committed partner to Burundi. Our regional aid programmes are achieving important results in Burundi's health and education sectors, and a new partnership between the Government of Burundi and Virunga Power (a company backed by British International Investment) will expand energy access to almost 70 percent of Burundi's population. The political trajectory in Burundi has improved under President Ndashimye's leadership, and we look forward to more engagement and greater development opportunities as this continues.