Burundi and CFC agreed to dive deeper for alleviation of poverty
CFC remains committed to bring more resources to liberate more people from the vicious trappings of poverty from countries like Burundi. This was conveyed by Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Managing Director of the CFC to the visiting H.E. Mr. Gamaliel Nkurunziza, Ambassador of the Republic of Burundi to the Netherlands. Earlier Ambassador Belal received Ambassador Nkurunziza on his arrival in the CFC Secretariat for his first ever visit to the CFC.
Elaborating on CFC’s commitment to remain focused on fighting poverty first in the least developed countries, Managing Director reassured the Ambassador of Burundi to continue their efforts to dive deeper with innovative project ideas for alleviation of poverty in Burundi.
This was Ambassador Nkurunziza’s first ever visit to the CFC Secretariat in Amsterdam. Ambassador Nkurunziza was duly briefed about the ongoing reforms that CFC is undergoing to serve the member states better in the days to come. Ambassador Belal elaborated on the elements, what he termed as green recovery in a post pandemic era, to help COVID-19 wrecked smallholder and SMEs to get to their feet at the earliest. Ambassador Belal wished to see more working relations and partnership with the countries in the days to come. Appreciating Burundi’s good standing in the region and some of its hugely successful development projects, Ambassador Belal sought Excellency Nkurunziza’s help to scale up CFC’s flagship projects in the agri-commodity sector in the country, while exploring new initiatives in mineral and other sectors of commodities that will bring meaningful value chain upgradations for smallholder farmers and traders.
Before taking leave, Ambassador Nkurunziza assured that he will do his best to bring good project ideas from his country and the region as well as promoting the idea of impact investment as best as he could. Ambassador Nkurunziza proposed to organize virtual sessions with the leading Business Chambers in his country as well as involving high officials from Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Finance of Burundi and relevant experts form CFC. In the meantime, Managing Director urged Ambassador Nkurunziza to disseminate CFC’s ongoing call for proposals with qualified SMEs/enterprises and encourage them to come forward with project proposals that articulates innovations and creativity In a way that will help bringing value chain upgradations for both productivity gains as well as more income for the farmers/traders.
While sharing insights on the probable shape and form of this world in the post pandemic milieu, it was agreed that this pandemic is akin to an urgent call for actions for the poor and wealthy alike. This call for action is more to put human dignity ahead of other material considerations.
Ambassador Belal assured Ambassador Nkurunziza, on behalf of CFC, of doing their best to continue their mission of restoring dignity in the commodity dependent developing countries.