The Burundi Peace Process

The document provides a detailed analysis of the Burundi peace process, focusing on the transition from civil war to a conditional peace. It examines the diplomatic facilitation by Nelson Mandela and Jacob Zuma, the deployment of the South African Protection Support Detachment (SAPSD), the African Mission in Burundi (AMIB), and the UN Operation in Burundi (ONUB). Key areas of focus include the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) of various rebel groups, specifically the CNDD-FDD and PALIPEHUTU-FNL, the reform of the national army and police, and the organization of the 2005 elections. It concludes with the transition to the UN Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB) and the final demobilization of the FNL in 2009.

• South Africa's involvement was driven by the 'African Renaissance' policy, which sought 'African solutions for African problems', starting with Nelson Mandela's role as facilitator in the Arusha process.
• The Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement, signed in August 2000, established a 30-month power-sharing transition and provided for military and judicial reforms to reduce Tutsi dominance.
• The South African Protection Support Detachment (SAPSD) deployed 700 troops in October 2001 to provide security for Burundian leaders returning from exile, maintaining this function until August 2005.
• The African Mission in Burundi (AMIB), established in April 2003 with troops from South Africa, Ethiopia, and Mozambique, focused on supervising ceasefire agreements and supporting the DDR process.
• The UN Operation in Burundi (ONUB) replaced AMIB on 1 June 2004, with a mandate that included monitoring ceasefires, dismantling militias, and ensuring a secure environment for the 2005 elections.
• A specialized DDR process for child soldiers, supported by UNICEF and the NPDRR, resulted in the demobilization of over 2,300 children by November 2004 and another 600 from armed political parties by December 2004.
• The 2005 electoral process saw high public engagement, with 3.2 million voters (over 90% of the target population) registering in November 2004.
• The transition from ONUB to the UN Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB) on 1 January 2007 shifted the focus toward peace consolidation, democratic governance, and the final integration of the PALIPEHUTU-FNL.
• The final phase of the peace process involved the demobilization of 16,948 PALIPEHUTU-FNL elements and the integration of 3,500 combatants into the BNDF and BNP by August 2009.

APA

Boshoff, H., Vrey, W., & Rautenbach, G. (n.d.). The Burundi Peace Process. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono171.pdf

Chicago

Boshoff, Henri, Waldemar Vrey, and George Rautenbach. The Burundi Peace Process. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono171.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Boshoff |first1=Henri |last2=Vrey |first2=Waldemar |last3=Rautenbach |first3=George |title=The Burundi Peace Process |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono171.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{boshoffndburundi, author = {Boshoff, Henri and Vrey, Waldemar and Rautenbach, George}, title = {{The Burundi Peace Process}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono171.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }