Commending  Mkapa’s decision to convene further meetings including those stakeholders who were not present in Arusha, the Secretary-General, in a statement issued by his spokesperson, stressed that a solution to the year-long political crisis in Burundi can only be found through an inclusive dialogue process that upholds the Constitution of Burundi, as well as the principles of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement for Burundi, of which the UN and the region are guarantors.

 Ban in his statement fully supported regional efforts aimed at fostering a peaceful settlement to the crisis and reiterated the readiness of the UN to provide technical and substantive backing to the Facilitation, as mandated by the UN Security Council.