From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
Ambassador of Republic of Burundi to Nigeria, Marie Jeanne Ntakirutimana, has called for investment in the field of agriculture in Burundi.
The envoy made the call in Abuja while briefing newsmen ahead of the national day of Burundi on July 1.
She said the President of Burundi, Evariste Ndayishimiye, has been making efforts to industrialise Burundi, particularly the agricultural sector.
“That is why we will like to get many in the agricultural sector,” Ntakirutimana said.
Ntakirutimana also said Burundi is highly interested in developing its agricultural sector, saying the country is blessed with abundance of agricultural products.
She, however, said the country lack the industries to transform the agricultural produce into finished products, hence the call for investment in the agricultural sector of Burundi.
“Burundi, our country, wants to develop the agricultural sector. We have many kinds of agricultural produce, but we need industries. We do not have industries to transform them.
“You can see that we have cassava. We need industries to transform them, to keep them because we have a lot of quantity of cassava, but because we do not have the necessary facilities to keep them for a long time, they get destroyed. That is why we need many investors in agriculture,” Ntakirutimana also said.
The envoy further said there was the unavailability of cement in Burundi, saying the people of Burundi were in need of cement.
She disclosed that Dangote Cement which is available in Burundi, is imported through Zambia to Burundi, a situation which makes the cost of cement in the country high.
Ntakirutimana said if Dangote Cement was exported directly to Burundi, the people of Burundi will be better for it.