Just
a week after the terrorists attacks in the US,
the United Nations Development Program (UNDP),
along with several partners, announced a $1.7 million
aid package for three provinces in Burundi that
after a decade of conflict, remains one of the
poorest countries in the world.
Burundi
was involved in a bitter civil war from for three years
from 1993 through 1996. The assassination of President
Melchior Ndadaye, the first elected president of Burundi,
triggered a series of genocidal attacks that pitted
the Tutsi-dominated military against the Hutu opposition.
Thousands of Hutus and Tutsi were killed
and thousands more were displaced in
the course of the civil war. Although
the country has recovered since the end
of the civil war, the country's economy
continues to suffer due to the embargos
imposed by neighboring countries.
A projected 36,000 people will be aided
by the UNDP aid package. The package
is aimed at improving education, housing
and institutional development that will
trigger economic development. Burundi
communities are also allocating 6.6 million
of their own for 14 other projects in
other provinces.
Italian volunteers for Countries in
Emergency, a community group in Ngozi,
Burundi and others are involved in this
project covering three provinces that
are most in need of assistance and intervention.
The aid is directed at strengthening
rural communities and civic groups for
local development.
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