Bachelet said the central African state's government had declared it had made sufficient progress in human rights, so that the existence of the UN office was no longer justified. “It is with deep regret that we have had to close our office in Burundi after a 23-year presence in the country,” she said in a statement. Many advancements in human rights in Burundi had been jeopardised since 2015, when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced he would seek a third term, Bachelet added. Violence surged after the announcement, which many saw as a breach of the constitution. In October 2016, Burundi suspended all cooperation with the UN office in Burundi, following publication of a report by a UN independent investigation that said the government and its supporters were responsible for crimes against humanity.

Source: bd News24 March 05, 2019 11:03 UTC