UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Burundi

Bujumbura, 19 May 2007: The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, will visit Burundi from 19-23 May, the second leg of a Central African tour aimed at re-affirming the importance of protecting and promoting human rights in national reconciliation and reconstruction.

The fight against impunity for serious violations of human rights, the importance of addressing past abuses, including through transitional justice mechanisms, and the need to establish human rights as a pillar in consolidating peace and sustainable reconstruction, will top the agenda as the High Commissioner will meet with the Head of State as well as other senior officials. She will also focus attention on the need to devote priority attention to realizing economic, social and cultural rights, including through increased transparency, inclusion of different parts of the population and accountability in governance.

In addition to Government authorities, the High Commissioner will meet with representatives of human rights and other non-governmental organizations, members of the United Nations family in the three countries and the diplomatic community.

Prior to Burundi, the High Commissioner travelled to the DRC where she started her three-country visit that will end in Rwanda on 25 May.