BUJUMBURA February 4th (ABP) – The Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Mr. Jean-Marie Niyokindi, who presented, in Bujumbura on Thursday, the assessment report of the first half of 2018-2019, reported that some services have faced some challenges, despite satisfactory achievements presented. These include the lack of travel means for executives and agents, the modest budgetary resources for a ministry called pillar of the national economy, the lack of appropriate infrastructure such as analysis laboratories and other equipment, the lack of qualified staff at the Burundian Bureau of Standardization and Quality Control (BBN) and the weak collaboration with stakeholders in the project to develop two tourist sites, namely “Rutovu Nile Source” and ” Thermal waters of Muhweza “.
Mr. Niyokindi announced that despite those challenges, the planned activities could have been implemented and that in the second half of 2018-2019, this ministry will continue to work to regularly monitor the evolution of prices on products in the country’s markets to protect producers and consumers. It will also continue to inform economic operators on regional and multilateral trade agreements signed by Burundi, without forgetting to finalize and adopt the National Industrialization Policy which refers to the National Development Plan 2018-2027. The same ministry will also train 36 business leaders in efficient resources and cleaner production, drawing up training modules and protect at least 350 industrial title deeds.
Minister Niyokindi also pledged to provide BBN with laboratory equipment, travel means and sufficient staff. The ministry plans to pre-classify 40 tourist establishments in Burundi to be classified and to train 250 tourist guides, i.e., two guides per commune.
