Burundian President and African Union Chair, Évariste Ndayishimiye, has invited Ghanaian businesses to invest in Burundi’s agriculture, ICT, tourism, and manufacturing sectors as both nations move to boost bilateral economic ties and accelerate post-conflict development.
Speaking during bilateral talks with President John Dramani Mahama on the sidelines of the AU Extraordinary Summit on Health, President Ndayishimiye recalled Ghana’s crucial support during Burundi’s post-war reconstruction, particularly through supplies of building materials and called for renewed Ghanaian enterprise in his country.
Burundi is actively working to overcome the lingering economic impacts of past internal conflicts, which disrupted vital infrastructure, delayed socio-economic progress, and left the nation rebuilding its productive capacity. Under its long-term development strategy, Vision 2040–2060, the East African nation aims to transition into an emerging economy by 2040 and a fully developed nation by 2060. Achieving these ambitious milestones requires strong regional partnerships and private-sector capital from more developed African economies like Ghana.
To formalize and expand these trade relations, President Ndayishimiye proposed establishing a Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation and extended an official invitation to President Mahama to visit Burundi.
President Mahama accepted the invitation, confirming he will lead a delegation of Ghanaian business executives to explore high-impact investment opportunities in Burundi. He noted that following Ghana’s successful exit from its International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout program, the country is now poised to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework to drive intra-African trade and cross-border investments
