Burundi

Country Profile: 

Demography (thousands): 8,749.4

Multidimensional Poverty Index (%): 0.530

HDI Rank: 178

GDP per capita (US$): 533

Background 

From January-June 2011 PEI provided technical assistance to the government of Burundi. Burundi’s economy is characterized by the primary sector which contributes to nearly 40% of the GDP and employs nearly 93% of the population. Nevertheless, the high population density in fertile areas, the lack of investment in the field of environment and natural resources, low awareness and poor tools for environmental management in combination with climate change have resulted in environmental degradation including deforestation, land degradation, non-rational exploitation and pollution. To better tackle these challenges Burundi received technical support from PEI in 2011 on how to mainstream P-E objectives into the PRSP II with particular attention to the environment and natural resource management component. PEI worked together with the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Economy and Finance, various sector ministries and the UNDP CO who funded most of the assistance.

Achievements: 
  • Establishment of a task force for the environment group and participation of the environment sector in the formulation of the PRSP.

  • Inclusion of P-E and sustainability issues in one of the pillars in the PRSP II.

  • Development of a project document on environmental governance, including tools and management instruments, a communication guideline, a strategy for environmental decision making through investment programs that supports environmental community recovery and local development In collaboration with the government.

  • As a result of the project document, UNDP CO funded the Burundi State of Environment report 2012 and an economic valuation of forest.   

  • Strategic paper for the positioning of UNDP Burundi in the area of Environment and Natural Resource Management.

  • Design of a fund raising proposal for further P-E work in Burundi.
Mainstreaming Resources: