Statement by H.E. Ambassador Koro Bessho
Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
Statement after the Vote (BURUNDI)
29 July 2016

 

 

 

          At the outset, I would like to thank France for its leadership in preparing this Resolution. Japan welcomes the adoption of the Resolution. 

 

          Yesterday, during the Open Debate on “Peacebuilding in Africa”, we heard many Member States express their concerns over the situation in Burundi. We must not allow Burundi’s hard-won progress to vanish after a decade of peacebuilding efforts. It is time for this Council to take concrete action.

 

          I believe that Members of this Council are united in their commitment to support the political process in Burundi, in close cooperation with the AU and EAC, in order to halt the violence and human rights violations and to prevent further deterioration of the situation.

 

          Let me underscore one point: Japan believes that the deployment of the UN police component authorized by today’s Resolution will help not only the Security Council to closely monitor the ground and deter any degradation of the situation, but also the Government of Burundi to rebuild mutual trust with its international partners. In this regard, Japan calls on all the Burundian parties to extend their full cooperation with the UN, including with the UN police component.

 

          Japan, as a long-term development partner of Burundi, sincerely hopes that Burundi will find a way forward out of the current crisis, and chart a renewed course towards stability and prosperity in the near future.