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Belgians advised to leave Burundi

The Belgian Foreign Ministry is now advising Belgians to leave Burundi. The Foreign Minister was already advising Belgian nationals not to travel to the country that has been the scene of escalating violence over the past couple of months. The modified travel advice on the Foreign Ministry website states the following: “We advise against all travel to Burundi. Belgians that are there are advised to leave the country for as long as this is possible by normal means”.

Those wish to remain in Burundi are strongly advised to give their personal details and details of where they are staying to the Belgian Embassy in Bujumbura.

The Belgian Foreign Ministry has observed how a climate of escalated violence has developed in Burundi since last October.
"There have been hostile reactions towards Belgium and threats made towards Belgian nationals”, the travel advice on the Foreign Ministry website reads.

The Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders (Francophone liberal) says that the revised travel advice is the same as that issued by the US State Department that has advised Americans in Burundi to leave. Violence in the country has escalated in recent days. The violence started with the re-election of Pierre Nkurunziza as president. Last Friday 90 people were killed during and after a series of coordinated attacks on army barracks in the capital Bujumbura.

 

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