Source:
https://afriqueactudaily.com/index....-matiere-de-liberte-de-la-presse-dixit-iwacu/
Burundi can do better in terms of press freedom ", dixit - IWACU
May 6, 2020 Burundinews
On the occasion of his visit to the Iwacu Press Group this Wednesday, May 6, Claude Bochu, Ambassador of the European Union to Burundi, delivered his analysis on the state of press freedom in Burundi.
Speaking on the current electoral campaign, the European diplomat notes a regression in the democratic debate. "The European Union will not have to position itself immediately. We have to wait for things to continue to progress, without progressing in the right direction, that is the impression we have! "
Ambassador Bochu observes, however, that the presence of several candidates for the presidential chair is an asset for the country. "The debate between different presidential candidates enriches the opinion that people can have."
Asked how he felt about the current state of press freedom in the country, Claude Bochu said: "Burundi can do better in terms of press freedom".
He talks about "progress" being made but at the same time points out that there are "broad areas where things could be improved" and recalls the results of the latest Reporters Without Borders ranking. “Burundi ranks 160th out of 180 countries! This is actually a small drop compared to the previous ranking! "
Starting from there, the European Union’s chief diplomat in Burundi calls for consideration of criticisms “from outside Burundi” regarding press freedom in Burundi. "We cannot both say that Burundi has a bad image on the outside and ignore what is said about Burundi, especially in the area of press freedom! "
Concerning the relations between the European Union and Burundi, Claude Bochu speaks of an “approximation process” in progress and of “a desire on both sides to better understand the expectations and the institutional limitations of some others ”.
And to indicate "an acknowledgment that there are more things that unite us than things that divide us. The ambassador of the Union of Twenty-seven also talks about maintaining cooperation at the local level. "We are keeping a very important cooperation program with the presence of international NGOs and development agencies from our member states. We therefore remain one of the main donors of the country ”.
Faced with Covid-19, which is raging around the world with 19 cases already reported in Burundi, including one death, Mr. Bochu recalled the importance of bilateral ties at such times. "With the direct impact of the coronavirus that will be felt here, Burundi will need all its friends to cope with the difficult economic situation."
